Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species
by P. Kristen
Summary: COMPLETED - First Story/Novel/Saga in continuation universe of BGC Tokyo 2040. Lesbian/Yuri/Shoujo Ai warning -- not explicit!!!
1. 4/17 - Compatibility

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Prologue: Compatibility 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Basic background: This scene takes place right after the Sabers confrontation scene at Sylia's place in the episode "I Surrender", when Sylia confesses not only that there was a previous Knight Sabers team who were not successful, but also that the recently destroyed hardsuits were boomers.

There's a crucial incident in the English dub anime which is referred to, and which inspired this fic: In explaining why she needed not only an all female team to be Knight Sabers, Sylia teases Nene by going nose to nose with her and hinting that she needed to share a "very special physical compatibility" with them. Nene freaks, stammers that she's not like the way Sylia and Linna might be. Linna reacts with total embarrassment. And Priss just widens her eyes in surprise.

The scene officially ends with Priss already having made a stormy exit at the betrayal of feeling used and being endangered with hardsuits that could go rogue at Galatea's command, Galatea being the villainess of the piece. This scene picks up after Nene exits at the betrayal as well, though probably not as pissed. Leaving behind Sylia, Linna and Mackie.

* * * * *

For three people left in the room, it was deathly quiet.

Nene's last words lingered in the air like an imagined echo: "I just can't, Sylia! I'm really sorry! Good-bye, Mackie! Bye, Linna!"

Linna felt numb, both emotionally and physically. Actually, that's not quite right...she could feel conflicting emotions war under a layer of her self-control. Dealing with the turmoil of thoughts and memories was bad enough; she didn't dare let her emotions run rampant, too.

She noticed out of the corner of her eye how Sylia calmly watched her. Perfectly poised on the couch with her hands folded on her lap, looking extremely relaxed and composed despite everything that's happened. And as if she was wearing one of her dresses rather than that damn skimpy bathrobe.

Linna felt a blush start to creep upon her cheeks and forced herself not to be distracted by that last detail. God, this wasn't the first time she envied Priss's poker face.

Priss...

When Nene had blurted out her suspicions of Linna's...interest in women, Linna saw out of the corner of her eye the flash of surprise which jolted Priss's sullen expression. It was a brief look, quickly disappearing as if it was never there. Which meant Priss was _really_ shocked.

Is it possible that Priss never suspected...? But, Linna had thought for certain that they were...similar. After all, they quickly settled into an easy friendship that grew between them once Priss finally let down her guard. In fact, though Priss never expressly stated it, Linna was sure she was Priss's only friend. Not even the members of the band were allowed to spend time with Priss when music wasn't the focus. Yet even with that, they never really talked about...romance. Linna had had a hunch the two of them would...get along.

But if all this time Priss never thought...never felt... But why did she stare at her the way she did? The intensity couldn't have been imagined, could it?

And wasn't Linna herself surprised at Nene's words? It was one thing to battle her own suspicions and feelings, but to hear someone else say it out loud. And why did Linna suddenly feel this burn of disappointment at Priss's shocked reaction?... Did it mean it was really true after all if someone else sees it? Was she really a...a...

Well, if she was, given Priss's reaction, was their friendship now unsalvageable? Then again, Priss did blurt out a goodbye just for her before storming out...

Besides, there were bigger issues at stake right now.

Suddenly remembering where she was, Linna snuck a look over at Sylia, who still watched her. The other woman's face looking serenely passive, which allowed her natural beauty to be even more distracting than usual. It reminded Linna just how much Sylia intimidated her even though she did her best to hide it.

Mackie just stared at the hallway Nene had disappeared through without a look back.

After the two women exchanged a mild look, Sylia turned to her "little brother" and said, "Mackie, I'm fine now. Galatea's obviously distracted for the time being. Why don't you go home to Nigel's and I'll see you in the morning?"

Clearly still concerned, he frowned to protest, but quickly realized it wouldn't make a difference. Plus, he understood there was a reason why Sylia asked him to leave and not Linna. He bowed, said his goodbyes and departed followed by the silence which seemed to be standard for exits tonight.

Upon his departure, the air felt...different. But Linna didn't feel anymore relaxed.

Sylia continued to look at her with that mild expression which hovered between friendliness and amusement. It was as if she was able to tell that Linna was not feeling the rage of Priss nor the terror of Nene. 

"Well after all this, I need something a little stronger to drink than water. Can I interest you in a glass?" she offered as she stood and walked to her bar.

Linna wanted to ask for an entire of bottle of something but stopped short.

In the silent pause which followed her question, Sylia turned back and flashed a brief smile "Well, if you're not interested in a drink, how about a swim? It does wonders for relieving stress for me. And since I don't think I have any suits which fit you, we can forego them."

Linna gave a startled blink at what seemed like a total non sequitor bordering into flirting, in that oh-so-typical way of Sylia's. "Uh-beer would be fine. Thanks." The blush was back, dammit.

Again, there was silence as Linna joined Sylia at the bar, settling herself on the stool while the other woman focused her attention on pouring their drinks, a beer and scotch respectively.

Sylia handed over the glass and came around the bar to lean against the front, next to her guest, "Either you're waiting for me to say something to drive you away like everyone else, or there's a chance I can say something which will make you stay. Which do you actually want?"

Linna took a deep breath. It was time to take the bull by the horns, just like she did with all other things in life when faced with a challenge. "I know Galatea needs to be stopped. I don't know if I would make a difference, but I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't try. But... I need time to think before I commit to this, Sylia. It's so much scarier than before."

Sylia had been watching her closely again, her expression still deceptively mild. "It sounds like you've already made a decision for the moment. So since you're still here, there must be something else you want... to know." 

Linna felt the hairs on her neck prickle at that purposeful pause. Again, a deep breath, eyes focused on the beer before her. "Sylia, you said the suits were an extension of you at the time of their design..."

"...Yes?..." 

Linna didn't have to look to see the patient but passively amused expression return, as if she was saying what Sylia was expecting her to. God, was she that obvious to everyone?! (Well, obviously not to Priss!)

"Well, you and Priss shared the hotheaded personality. And I can guess that you and Nene have that computer techie thing in common. But what is it about the two of us that's compatible enough for me to be a better Knight Saber than your previous team members?" Linna knew her entire face was now the color of a tomato but tried to ignore it. She was just amazed she was able to say all of that without stumbling over her words.

"It isn't enough to say we're both athletes?" That teasing tone was back.

Linna took a drink of her beer in response, showing she was waiting for the real answer.

She heard Sylia take a long sip from her own drink. Then followed by a deep breath and sigh.

Linna felt her heart race with every waiting second, and she knew Sylia knew it.

Finally, Sylia spoke in a soft voice, "There's something about you which reminds me a lot of someone I knew in school. You're both people of heart and passion. And she meant a lot to me. She still does even though we live very separate lives now as people do when school ends.... Linna, your arrival changed the team for the better. There's a strong dynamic among us that wasn't there before, and I thank you for it. And because of it--of you--I have the faintest hope that we can be a team again. I don't think that hope would be there if you hadn't arrived and all of this still happened. I could be wrong, but I'd like to think I'm not."

Linna was struck by the sense of real honesty in her words. "Thank you, Sylia... But you still didn't answer my question. How are we alike?"

"I didn't?" That teasing tone returned yet again.

Linna didn't know if she should be annoyed or to play along for once. 

She finally let out a soft chuckle and looked Sylia in the eye. "I'm a country hick, remember? I need it spelled out for me by you city folk."

It was then when Sylia leaned forward, causing the color to drain out of the other woman's face with every centimeter that disappeared between them. She finally stopped with just the barest space between their lips, that speaking alone could cause contact. It felt like she had gotten miles closer to Linna than she did with Nene not even an hour before. Linna could smell the scotch just as she was sure Sylia could smell the beer.

Linna would like to blame sheer terror for why she didn't back away, but she knew that wasn't the case as she remained frozen.

"I am extremely tempted to kiss you right now." Sylia's voice was bewitchingly sultry, the barest growl from her throat which indicated that this woman knew how dangerous she was. And every brush of those lips felt like sparks of a fire that would go out of control if allowed.

Linna instinctively closed her eyes and held her breath. Her heart was racing even faster than when she was first catapulted out of the launcher in her hardsuit. She was surprised she didn't pass out right then and there.

Then Sylia closed the gap, in the most gentle kiss possible. Linna responded without hesitation. She felt like she was floating, and it didn't matter whether it was from being overwhelmed with new sensations, or from lack of oxygen.

For what seemed like minutes, but was only seconds, Sylia finally pulled away and leaned back. With that infuriating smirk but this time accentuated with a faint blush of her own, she took a sip and said, "But you're not the one I want...and I'm not the one _you_ want. By the way, that's a good brand of beer. I've never had it with scotch before."

This was the first time in her life where Linna knew her face was completely red and she didn't care. Her heart still didn't stop racing and she was trying to get used to breathing again...But Sylia's comment about wanting burned in her mind.

Was she guessing about Masaki, the man who seemed to be everything Linna could want but whom she still turned down? Or...or...or...

Her heart actually felt like it sped up instead of slowed down! Linna was holding her beer with shaky hands and decided she needed to empty the contents and put the glass down, which she did so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. After doing so, however, she felt better -- barely.

Again, Sylia had been watching her with that mildly amused expression. She finally cleared her throat and said seriously, "Linna, to be a person of heart, you must be able to let yourself feel your heart completely. That's what Reika taught me. And it's a lesson I'd like to try to pass on to you."

Linna looked clearly startled...but with a glimmer of intrigue?

Reading the response with scientific precision, Sylia burst out in a genuine laugh and said, "No, not like _that!_ Like I said, we don't really want each other. And though I like to tease, I'm not a woman of convenience! And I'm pretty certain you're not either! Priss and Nene already hate me now. I don't need have you hate me in the morning!"

Damn blush, Linna growled in her thoughts.

Sylia reached over and picked up the bottle of scotch to pour some into each of their glasses. "You, Priss and Nene taught me the price of keeping secrets, despite the best of intentions. The three of you reminded me there were some risks worth lowering your walls for. That was something Reika also tried to teach me but I guess I didn't learn it very well. If I promise to be a real friend from now on, will you do the same to me, and to yourself? And if we don't really succeed, at least we can say we made that effort? I would really like to try."

The offer triggered a change in Linna, like a weight she carried her entire life suddenly start to lift from her shoulders. As if for the first time, she had someone she could really talk to, a chance at honesty she never even allowed herself, or even with Priss. It wasn't only someone she could talk to, but someone who would understand.

"So," Sylia said as she sauntered back to the couch with both her glass and bottle. "Why don't you tell me why you _really_ came to Tokyo?"

Linna looked at the glass of scotch on the counter, then to the smiling and waiting woman just a few meters away. Well, if this was Sylia's version of a slumber party, why the hell not?

With a big grin, she grabbed the glass and joined her friend on the couch.

"I honestly came to Tokyo to become a Knight Saber!" Linna declared good naturedly. "But I also admit I had to get away from home too..."

....The End for now....

* * * * * * 

Special Author's Note: I've decided to try an experiment by using the Private Forum feature and allow for a public discussion (with occasional input from me) on this series: update notification, discuss what's currently going on, and explore ideas for future stories. Interested? Go [ here.][1]

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	2. 4/28 - White Noise

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 1: Stripes in the Jungle 

Chapter 1: White Noise 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

** Hello, All!**

This is a fanfic series I've started (originally as a lark) as a continuation of the stories in the "Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040" Universe.

So for someone who has her own original novel and column to write, what exactly is it about this series that inspired me to write fanfic too? I definitely don't claim that it should be listed as one of the greatest anime of all time since I'm not blind to its faults. But it was the series that really hooked me into anime, appealing to my basic nature of being a fan first and foremost. As I once explained to someone, "It's a series about four sexy, intelligent women who can kick ass. So of course I'm going to like it!"

Linna Yamazaki is my favorite of the 2040 Women, embodying a "do the right thing" quality that I find appealing in my personal criteria of heroes, and it doesn't hurt that I believe she's a lesbian. Sylia being a close second in terms of favorites (often taking the number one slot depending on the episode, and just losing it completely when she whimped out towards the end), Nene's in third and Priss last. (It took me a while to realize that Priss was only interesting to me when she interacted with the other women, and that there was more lesbian than heterosexual vibes from her.)

I avidly consumed all of the episodes as they were released on VHS wanted to find out what will happen to these characters, even though I'm a selfconfessed DVDphile at heart. The irony is that by the end of the series, everyone had seemed to reach a closure both in their life and in their romances, except for Linna. This being a character that even the English voice actress Kelly Manison considered to be a mystery on some levels.

So as a way for me to achieve my own closure with the character (unless of course the Powers That Be decide on a sequel that will address this lingering issue - preferably in the way I want,) I've decided to write "Stripes in the Jungle." I have no idea how long it's going to be or how often I will write it, or if I'll even complete the story given that there's a chance I could lose interest without proper motivation and encouragement. I'll probably post a chapter every couple of weeks to a month, if the rest of my life permits. I've already idea-plotted at least six chapters to get through the first sub-arc. And the troublemaker in me hasn't even decided if the series as a whole is going to have a happy ending yet. At the very least, I wanted to carry Linna through her first real romance now that she's finally settled the question for herself about her orientation.

The trick of course is that I'm using characters who were created in the Original BGC universe since I think there's great story-telling potential in revamping them in "the Spirit of 2040", as I often like to say. So no, I won't be doing any self-insertion stuff, being quite content to use characters that were already created for this purpose.

Also, because this is Post 2040, it helps to have actually seen the series so I don't have to explain everything as I use spoilers left and right. But I will try to explain where it seems reasonable. And for clarification, everything is based on the English dub dialogue since there are some significant differences in which characters say what in certain scenes.

And by the way, Priss fans, she won't be showing up for a while. This is purposeful due to plot elements I have to establish before her reappearance, not just because she's my least favorite of the four - although I won't claim there aren't some influences in that area.

Hope you enjoy it. I find that the fun of this project is sharing the experience with other 2040 (and open minded BGC) fans who may feel the same way. Constructive feedback and input welcome since I'm basically writing this as I'm going along.

This series is dedicated to the English voice actresses who made watching the show so enjoyable: Kelly Manison (Linna), Laura Chapman (Sylia), Hilary Haag (Nene) and Christine M. Auten (Priss). And to egret, who encouraged me to try out the project and see if it would fit. 

P. Kristen ;) 

* * * * *

** By the way, in case you do need a main character refresher:**

Sylia Stingray: Daughter of Steven Stingray (the inventor of Boomers), seemingly non-threatening heiress with a women's clothing shop, and whose brain was the birthplace of both Galatea and Mackie. Also strategic leader and creator of the Knight Sabers.

Linna Yamazaki: As Kelly Manison describes her: "Country girl trying to make it in the big city." Newest member of the Knight Sabers. Wanted to join the Knight Sabers based on superhero ideals. Works as an Office Lady (O.L.) for Hugh Geit. Also spends the "2040" story arc coming terms with lesbianism.

Nene Romanova: Dispatcher for the AD Police. Techie at heart, acts young for her age, and in love with Mackie. Also a Knight Saber but knows her true value is her mind.

Priss S. Asagiri: Moody and hotheaded. Lead singer of a drum and bass band. Leader of the Sabers in battle.

Nigel: Sylia's love interest and talented mechanic. She designs the stuff, he makes it. Also a man of minimal social interests.

Mackie: Sylia's younger brother, and a boomer with a human heart and soul.

Henderson: Sylia's devoted butler and substitute father-figure.

Leon: AD Police officer. Spends all of "2040" mooning over Priss and finally getting her in the end.

Daley Wong: Leon's AD Police partner. The smart one.

Galatea: The villainess of "2040", and Sylia's evil twin and queen of boomers. Killed at the end of 2040. (I warned you there were spoilers!) 

"Technical note": Everyone speaks Japanese unless otherwise noted. And no, I've never been to Japan or China. Everything I've learned about customs and lifestyles comes from watching anime. So cut me some slack if I decide to Americanize things just a touch. Consider it in the spirit of the "English Dub Version"!

Onward to the story....

* * * * *

Linna couldn't help but be fascinated as she stared out the airplane window at the landscape before her. True, she had seen the news shots, and heck she was even down there at its worst, but to see Tokyo from the sky like this was just breathtaking. From this high up, you would never have guessed how much destruction the city went through in the past decade, through earthquakes and a "boomer revolution".

Only three years have passed since Galatea turned the city into a jungle of twisted metal due to rampaging boomers which fused with every piece of machinery in sight. Once the threat ended as mysteriously as it began, most of the citizens returned home to sift through the wreckage and rebuild their lives, just the same way they had rebuilt their beloved city right after the disastrous earthquake. And ironically, boomers were also there to help with the work.

At first, Linna was shocked by the last fact because of all the testimonials on the news by people who had sworn off the use of boomers once their metallic janitors and waitresses attacked them. However, the necessity created out of rebuilding Tokyo as quickly and as efficiently as possible caused people to quickly overcome their fear and reluctance. When the general consensus was softened enough to evaluate the use of boomers again, public outcry and fear of liability caused everyone to agree that this source of labor would be used with the strictest safeguards possible against going rogue. 

Not that that these people truly understood what made the boomers go rogue in the first place, despite Leon, Nene and Daily's brief attempt to educate the public during the Galatea crisis.

Under the new leadership of Quincy Rosenkreuz III, the Genom Corporation lead the redesigning of boomers both as a P.R. damage control maneuver as well as to regain the loss of profits Galatea's orchestrated rampage had caused. Branded as "rogue-free", the new generation of boomers were modified to become less sophisticated than the previous generation. Gone were the subroutines that reacted and responded to human social interactions. Also gone were the designs based on human anatomy structure. This new generation of boomers seemed to be a throwback to old robotics, bulky, slow machines which were good at simple tasks, and always required human supervision. Nothing about them would make a person think he or she would suddenly have his or her orders questioned or be attacked out of the blue. And none of them had gone rogue..."yet" (as Sylia would add cryptically even though Linna thought Galatea's death would have ended that possibility.)

Unfortunately, the new boomer designs had one significant flaw...at least as far as the former Knight Sabers were concerned. The crude tampering with the boomer's core (its brain), caused a high frequency squeal to constantly emanate from the machine. This sound was heard only by the four women who had been mentally linked due to both Sylia and Galatea's efforts.

Sylia was the first to notice it, which was not surprising since her brain was where Galatea (and all subsequent boomers) were born. At first, she complained of minor headaches whenever she visited Tokyo, falling back on her usual remedy of scotch and pills (much to both Mackie and Henderson's dismay.) When she visited the site of her destroyed home and shop where construction boomers were in full force, she practically collapsed as soon as she stepped out of her car, overwhelmed by the piercing pain of what sounded and felt like constantly grinding metal.

It wasn't long before the other three former Knight Sabers all felt the same symptoms. So not more than three months passed after saving their beloved city that the Knight Sabers couldn't stand to visit, much less live there. However, no one else was affected, not even Mackie, Sylia's step-brother in heart and soul but a boomer in reality.

Of course, Sylia wasn't one to let the coincidence slide, tapping her resources from the temporary home of her late mother's mansion out in the country. She and Nene raided Genom's databanks and pulled the design specs on the new core. Sylia quickly determined the cause and fix but was stymied as to how to address this problem. After all, no one alive in the new Genom Corporation viewed her as anyone other than the little girl of a brilliant scientist, not as a scientific resource herself. To maintain her low profile and privacy, Sylia had purposefully not gone to university, preferring to continue her education in private, using her father's notes as her scientific bible.

Nigel was still a scientist and mechanic on paper, even if his credibility was undermined by having a run down machine shop in the less than savory part of Tokyo. But it was agreed that it would be useless to pitch the changes to Genom Corporation when the end result meant for the company to go through the cost of recalls and modifications just because four unimportant women were suffering through chronic headaches whenever they were within 100 meters of a boomer. And with thousands of boomers rolling off the assembly line every day, the problem became even more futile.

Nene once suggested that maybe they resurrect the hardsuits, buffer against the mental assault, and spend their time modifying every boomer to get rid of what the group now termed "white noise." Everyone laughed at her suggestion, congratulating her on her joke, but Linna did notice a shadow pass across Nene's face that showed she was serious. But Nene never brought it up again, and by then the team had resigned themselves to taking a much deserved vacation, thinking that either the white noise problem [would] go away over time due to most of the construction boomers not running around Tokyo as frequently, or that perhaps the sensitivity levels in the women would build up on their own, like an immunity.

So four months after the final battle with Galatea, the women who were once the Knight Sabers went their separate ways, vowing temporarily, but one never knows.

Sylia stayed in her mother's home with Henderson, while Nigel and Mackie moved back to Nigel's machine shop in the city. Nene had transferred to the regular police department in Akihabara. Linna had transferred to the Hugh-Geit's Osaka office. And Priss went on her much longed for world tour, with a very happy and unemployed Leon in tow.

Linna grimaced to herself as that last thought passed through her mind. She tried to be happy for Priss but that connection of Leon always caused a little burn of jealousy. She had hoped time and distance would ease the wound of losing out on what "could have been" with Priss. But at the same time, she genuinely wanted to be happy for her friend no matter what her personal selfish issues were. The feelings didn't seem to get any better as the days go by.

But the twist was that Priss had become a different person after their outer-space battle with Galatea. It was as if the rage and fire in her had been put out, leaving behind a very quiet, introspective person minus her usual tension. She and Linna never really had the chance to talk about everything once all of the chaos began, especially since Leon never left Priss's side once the team was reunited. 

The way Priss performed on stage changed too, as if she was taking on the persona of someone she used to be whenever she sang her more angst filled songs. The crowd never noticed though, being in awe of her on stage charisma and talent. But the change in Priss was noticeable to everyone who saw her outside of the spotlight, and no one seemed to be brave enough to openly stake a claim on whether it was a good or bad thing. 

Of course, it was easy to dismiss the cause of this change in Priss as being two days of suffering from heatstroke and dehydration in the African desert. Leon and Nigel had only found her by using a tracking satellite to locate the remains of her hardsuit (due to a tip from Galatea, by way of Mackie, as a dying act of kindness). Priss had wandered so far from her initial landing area that they wouldn't have found her if a sandstorm had erased her footprints in the time it took for the men to commandeer a plane and fly out to retrieve her. And she never told anyone about her final confrontation with Galatea, stating that it was enough to know Sylia's twin was gone for good.

Linna and Nene had faired better, being dumped on a tropical island not far from Hawaii. Fresh water and coconuts sustained them in the day it took for Sylia and Mackie to pick them up. The only real inconvenience was dealing with the fact of not having any clothes, much to Nene's horror when she saw Mackie step off of the plane, causing her to try to hide behind the equally nude and embarrassed Linna. Oh sure, Nene was happy to see that Mackie was indeed alive and well, but there were other things which quickly sunk in and made the reunion bittersweet. Sylia just watched the shenanigans with her ever present amused smile, punctuated with a wink to Linna, which made the latter woman blush even deeper from head to toe.

Linna sighed and closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind of the flood of memories. So much had happened in so little time. She needed to focus on what was important right now, which was moving back to Tokyo.

Finally, a year after Galatea, Sylia had come up with a core design which corrected the white noise problem, maintained the limited capabilities of the new generation of boomers, and was more energy efficient. It was this last angle which caused Sylia and Nigel to feel comfortable pitching the design to Genom. Well, Nigel pitched it since Sylia wanted to remain in the shadows. 

And sure enough, Genom snatched up the new design, anxious to deploy it on the newer boomers as well as offer upgrades to their existing clients, knowing this would add to their positive public relations spin as well as profit margins. Nigel was credited with the design and given a cut of the profits, which continued to be dumped into an untouched bank account. He'd rather have it transferred to Sylia's account, knowing she would greater use for the funds, but that would just cause too many raised eyebrows, and plus she never asked for the money. So they both agreed the funds could stay there for a rainy day - such as if another Galatea problem ever arose.

The Knight Sabers team now felt there would be an end to the white noise problem sooner rather than later, allowing them to finally come home.

Nene was the first to test the waters, making frequent visits to both see Mackie and to check on the white noise level of Tokyo. She had finally moved back three weeks ago, sending Linna phone messages and emails begging her friend to return as well.

With Nigel overseeing the reconstruction of her home and shop, Sylia herself was making arrangements to move back to the city, but probably wouldn't make it until at least another month or two.

Priss was still on her world tour, with no immediate plans of returning to Tokyo - white noise or not. Every couple of weeks, Linna would get a "Here's Where We're Playing Tonight" email, with an attached picture of Priss and her band looking like happy wandering minstrels, and Leon as the roadie/groupie. Since Priss wasn't a letter writer or phone person by nature, Linna had given up on thinking they could ever have a real conversation as long as they weren't in the same room.

And so Linna would sigh, send back a quick response of "Glad you're doing well. Hope to see you soon!" and file away the correspondence while fighting the urge to blow Leon's pixels into cyberspace with an imaginary gun.

Linna shook her head to clear her mind again. She felt the plane start its descent into the airport and thought of what she wanted to do as soon as she got there. After all, Hugh-Geit had only given her the weekend to move. She could have taken vacation time, but she wanted to save that for an extended visit to her parents later in the month. She didn't have that many belongings anyway, filling up not even one moving van. However, she thought grimly, if that van doesn't show up as scheduled, she was screwed.

And then there was the task of just rebuilding her personal life. While she had decent friendships in Osaka, she truly missed Tokyo, the other Knight Saber women, and her parents. She knew her stay in Osaka was temporary, so she purposefully kept people as arm's length. 

At least, that was her excuse for the atrocious dating experiences she had with the handful of women she took a chance on. None of the dates resulted in even a good night's kiss, much less anything more serious.

Once the plane landed, Linna gathered her belongings, flashed a pleasant smile at the man who sat next to her, who weakly returned it. He had unsuccessfully tried to chat her up as soon as she sat down for the flight, clearly hoping for more meaningful plans once they reached Tokyo. She got out of conversing with him by stating she had a sore throat and was recovering from a cold. In fear of getting sick himself, the man proceeded to ignore her, much to her pleasure. She made a mental note to thank Sylia for that little travel tip.

All the while, Linna passively checked for any signs of mental discomfort and found none. And with every step off the plane, she felt herself relax as her fear proved unfounded. When she tried a visit to her parents a year or so after Galatea, she couldn't last ten minutes in the airport. And she hadn't been back before this final trip, making her moving arrangements all by phone and Internet.

Linna stepped out into the airport and scanned the waiting crowd for the familiar face who was going to be her welcoming committee. Before she was done looking around, she was immediately tackled in a bear hug by the young woman who was more petite in frame but with more than enough energy to make up for her size.

_ "Linna! I'm so glad you're here!"_ Nene squealed happily.

Linna happily returned the hug and said, "I'm glad I'm home!"

--End Chapter 1--

* * * * * * 

Special Author's Note: I've decided to try an experiment by using the Private Forum feature and allow for a public discussion (with occasional input from me) on this series: update notification, discuss what's currently going on, and explore ideas for future stories. Interested? Go [ here.][1]

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	3. 

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 1: "Stripes in the Jungle" 

Chapter 2: Girl Talk 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Author's Notes: Hello, All. This chapter continues with the foundation and plot building. Because I don't have to worry about TV budgeting, scheduling or demographics concerns, I can write this story at the pace which continues to amuse me and fits my storytelling style. So you fast-paced action and mecha freaks are going to be thoroughly frustrated if you aren't already! 

* * * * *

"So what's this big news you've been dying to tell me?" Linna asked as she tossed Nene a can of coffee drink. They had settled themselves on her living room floor of her new apartment in the midst of opened boxes and piles of packing materials.

Nene gave a sniff of feigned offense and said, "And what makes you think I've been holding back on something?!"

"Because all day you've been hinting left and right that you've got big news, so spill already!" Linna teased with an exasperated roll of her eyes.

"Well, if you insist!" her friend responded a little too quickly and energetically to be credible. "You remember my friend Daley Wong? He was Leon's partner in the A.D. Police."

Linna had to think for a moment as she came up with the face. "The good-looking dapper guy who can't fly a copter if his life depended on it?"

"Yeah, that's him!" Nene confirmed, not batting an eye at the insult. "About half a year ago, he transferred back from Osaka regular police to be a detective. He helped to create a new division they're calling Neo Tech Crimes. And he's got me a position as one of the support staff!"

"Neo Tech?" Linna repeated blankly, afraid that this would be one more concept that her country girl education wouldn't let her understand.

"Yeah, we'd catch people who commit more sophisticated technology-based crimes, like the simple stuff from corporate database raids to creating illegal high-tech weapons."

"You mean everything that Sylia does?"

Nene's face fell for a moment. Then she stated firmly, "We're out to catch people who are 'criminals' who commit 'crimes'."

Linna wisely hid her smirk behind her can and took a sip before asking, "So what do you do?"

Nene's eyes lit up again. "I get to help figure out how the criminals do the things they do and create ways to nab 'em! -- Linna, it is so cool! I started yesterday and the stuff they have in the lab is incredible! -- I mean, nowhere near as wild as Sylia's lab, but still, it's amazing the things they have! And some of it I haven't even heard of before! And the computer they gave me is to die for!"

Linna was genuinely pleased for her friend but still a little puzzled, "But why would they create such a department? It sounds like a version of the A.D. Police."

"It kinda is. I mean the staff is pretty much the same, for those people who are still around from those days. I don't know if you heard, but a few months ago, but there was a crime spree involving a gang who managed to virtually shut down the electricity in bank buildings and jewelry stores before breaking in and stealing everything. They didn't just zap the lights but all of the connected security systems as well, even shutting down the support systems of the security firms hired to protect the businesses. Because of my computer experience, Daley got me to help them with the tracing and development of the program which would counteract the shutdown commands. But by the time we were able to stop the crime spree, thirty stores throughout Tokyo had been hit in the course of just four months, with a loss of millions of yen, most of which was never recovered. I think the big brass realizes there's a need to have a division to handle the crimes that are beyond the knowledge and technology of regular cops and detectives."

"Then maybe they should resurrect K-Suits as well," Linna commented dryly.

"Don't think the NTC Division doesn't have a group of them waiting on standby."

"Then it almost sounds like we should have our hardsuits ready too," Linna said, getting the appropriate giggle in response. Then she frowned and asked, "So, Nene, do you ever miss being a Knight Saber?"

"All the time," her friend answered seriously. "I even asked Sylia once if she ever thought she would need to make hardsuits again."

Linna felt her heart skip a beat. "And her answer was…?"

"She said she would 'think about it if there was ever a time that the police proved they couldn't handle something that we could.'"

"Then if you want to be a Knight Saber bad enough, it sounds like you've got a reason to sabotage the work of your new department to make it happen."

Nene's face fell once again. She answered carefully, "Well, after hanging around Sylia's lab as much as I have the past couple of years, I wouldn't put it past her to have a stash of hardsuits somewhere in that big old mansion just in case. And even though everyone considers rogue boomers to be old news, there's concern that people can still use them for criminal activities."

"Even though they're really limited in functionality?"

"Just the same way someone can pick up a hammer and use it for a crime. Boomers are the same way. Plus, there's been news that old model boomers have been smuggled in from outside of the city for private use. It's believed that some people feel that the rogue boomer problem was confined to those created in Tokyo since the boomer revolution didn't spread to other cities. And Tokyo's the only city that's made a public stance against old gen boomers. Plus, they're not even illegal here."

Linna had to remind herself that this was true. It had been a shock to transfer to Osaka and find that boomers were still operational and well used, though probably not to the degree of matching their height of popularity in Tokyo. The news of the boomer revolution was enough to almost cause a collapse of the boomer industry, but not quite.

"Do you honestly think these models could go rogue?"

Nene shrugged, "I asked Sylia and she doesn't really say anything definitive except 'the possibility is always there.' I don't know if Galatea just left a really bad experience in her mind that she thinks it's possible even if Galatea's not around to instigate anything anymore."

"What do _you_ think?" Linna persisted, trying to get an opinion that felt a little more knowledgeable on the matter than her own.

Nene kind of squirmed and said, "I honestly don't know. I asked Mackie what he thought and he firmly believes that with Galatea gone, the rogue risk is gone too. I guess it's something he and Sylia disagree on. And I've never asked Nigel what he thought because he probably wouldn't tell me anyway."

"Well, I like not dealing with old model boomers on a regular basis," Linna stated firmly. "After the Galatea crisis, Hugh-Geit got rid of the managerial boomers, so my job is now tolerable, even if I don't really like it."

She smirked at the thought of never having to face Manager 0352 again, and she regretted not being able to witness that thing morph into mechanical monstrosity the synthetic female-based exterior hid so well. That was one core she regretted not having the opportunity to crush personally.

"So, are you always going to be an office lady?" Nene suddenly blurted.

Linna blinked in surprise at the rather direct question. "I, uh, don't know," she admitted with a blush at the truth in the statement. "I mean I moved to Tokyo to be a Knight Saber, not an O.L. But I really don't have anything else I can do."

"You could always be a cop," Nene suggested, eyeing her critically as the idea seemed to have positive implications in her mind. "I think you'd be a good one. And you're still young enough to be accepted into the academy."

It was Linna's turn to squirm as she answered, "Let's just say I don't relish the idea of fighting something without the protection of a hard suit. Plus I've seen and heard enough through you that I don't think it would be a good career choice for me." And there would be comparisons with Leon she didn't even want to contemplate.

"If you say so..." Nene teased, indicating that she was going to let the subject drop even though her opinion was quite clear on the matter.

"By the way, have you talked to Sylia recently? I haven't really spoken to her since the beginning of the year," Linna asked, noting that it was now May.

"Oh yeah. She's moving her stuff back bit by bit. I think she's got the challenge of trying to break down her lab at her mom's mansion after transferring it from here to begin with. She should be back permanently by the end of the month. She's planning to reopen her shop by mid June. It's kind of weird because she actually seems excited about it," Nene mused. "I never understood why someone like her ran that shop to begin with. I mean, no one would have suspected her Knight Saber activities even without the storefront."

Linna smirked and said, "She once told me she had it as a hobby of sorts. It allows her an outlet where she can look but can't touch."

Now Nene was thoroughly bewildered. "Hunh?! If she's not supposed to have so many clothes, then why would she have a clothing store?"

Linna stared at the blond and contemplated what to say next. It was in these occasional moments which reaffirmed the fact that all the computer smarts in the world didn't always make up for some common sense.

Then again, to be fair to Nene, she didn't think Sylia was necessarily open about her bisexuality to the other former Knight Sabers, or anyone else for that matter. Oh sure, Sylia teased and flirted outrageously with women, but Linna didn't think most people took it as anything deeper than someone who just wanted to get a reaction for her own personal if weird amusement. Besides, the fact that Sylia was in a long term monogamous relationship with Nigel tended to put a blanket over the issue. When Linna was trying to come to terms with her own attraction to women during the Galatea crisis, Sylia offered her own kind of support by telling her about a lover she had in her school days.

On the other hand, Linna didn't think Sylia was ashamed about the fact of her orientation. Linna was starting to realize that the other woman probably had lots of secrets but would only own up to them if you could actually guess what they were, which would be nearly impossible. And to be truthful, Linna liked sharing something with her in what has become a private joke between them. In the beginning, Sylia openly teased Linna in front of everyone; now she just did it in private, or when no one else was really paying attention. Linna eventually learned how to tease back, much to Sylia's obvious pleasure.

Finally, Linna took a sip from her can and said, "I guess I must have misunderstood her. You know how bizarre she can be sometimes."

Nene nodded, for some reason suddenly flashing on the one time Sylia came close enough to kiss her and just smirked at Nene's flustered babbling that she wasn't "like that." Suddenly another question burned in Nene's mind. 

"Are you dating anyone yet?" she blurted out.

It was Linna's turn to have her face fall.

"No," she answered finally. "I've tried a couple of dates with some women I met in Osaka but nothing came out of them. So I'm still looking, but I admit not actively since it's so hard to meet someone I'm attracted to, much less find interesting. Of course, if I still bomb out romantically now that I'm emotionally 'home', in the biggest city in the country, then I might as well accept the fact I'm not meant to be involved with anyone at all. It's almost enough to make me rethink my stance of 'no men'... Well, I'll give it a few more years before I goes that far. After all, that's desperation territory, and I'm only twenty-four."

"Well, I'm hardly one who can give dating advice," Nene admitted sheepishly, obviously referring to her own relationship with a sentient boomer.

"Things going well between you and Mackie?"

"Great. He's the sweetest guy. And luckily, I still don't look that much older than him. But I don't know how much longer that's going to last before people start to think I'm just a cradle-robber."

"Oh," Linna said, not realizing before how awkward it would be to have a relationship with someone who would never physically age beyond seventeen years. "Is there anything that can be done about that?"

Nene shrugged. "Well, it's only something I've started to notice. I just haven't yet figure out how to bring it up to Mackie. I mean, I definitely don't want to break up with him. But it's...well, you know..."

'No, I don't,' Linna thought, but she nodded in sympathy to her friend.

-- End Chapter 2 --

* * * * * * 

Special Author's Note: I've decided to try an experiment by using the Private Forum feature and allow for a public discussion (with occasional input from me) on this series: update notification, discuss what's currently going on, and explore ideas for future stories. Interested? Go [ here.][1]

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	4. 5/13 - Visionaries

BGC P2040

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series 

"Stripes in the Jungle"

Chapter 3: Visionaries

by P. Kristen Enos

http://members.aol.com/bgcpost2040

* * * * *

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. 

Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Most of these stories take place AFTER the TV Series!!! So DON'T blame me if I ruin the ending for you because you read these stories first!

* * * * *

The spacious lab was empty save for four figures.The three humans were focused on the other, a boomer with the realistic yet metallic curves of a physically mature female, which stared blankly forward as if it had no awareness of the world around it.

Quincy Rosenkreuz III, a man of thirty-nine with a lean build and clothed in the finest gray Italian suit with tasteful punctuations of jewelry,walked carefully around the stationary boomer, eyeing her critically and appreciatively.In and of themselves, his lean features were short of being considered handsome, but a friendly smile added well to his charisma.It also helped that he looked young for his age, with barely any trace of gray in his trimmed black hair and beard.

The other figure was Madigan, his right hand assistant.A petite and trim woman of forty-two, her small size easily led people to overlook the steel in her personality, which showed clearly in her dark gray eyes behind her glasses.Despite having a very efficient and professional demeanor, she was extremely style-conscious herself, dressed in a stylish dark blue business jacket and skirt.She kept her extremely long gray and dark-brown hair in a braid, which went half-way down her back and then hooking upwards to finally drape over the front of her right shoulder.

The final human figure was Dr. Sho Yamada, a heavy but pleasant man of thirty-two with receding black hair.Dressed in the standard suit and lab coat, he cut a competent picture of a scientist even though he was understandably nervous as he waited for his superiors to make a comment about his team's latest effort.

Quincy finally paused and flashed the scientist a warm smile."I am extremely impressed with the modifications your team has made to this prototype, Dr. Yamada.The proportions appear to be extremely accurate even without the skin and hair supplements."

The scientist broke out into a pleased smile as he felt himself finally begin to relax."Thank you, Sir.As you can see, she's still somewhat tall for a standard human, but this is the most compact frame the team can build while maintaining the capacity to house the original requirements.She weighs about three times the mass of a woman her size, so we realize we may have to factor some environment checks when she starts to be tested outdoors, like avoiding elevator and stairs where weight capacities might be an issue."****

"Yes, she does seem somewhat Amazonian," Quincy admitted, his eyes still raking up and down the form."I think if we offer Caucasian model options, that should make the size somewhat more acceptable even if we can't make them blend in to a crowd completely.What do you think, Madigan?"****

"I would think our clientele would be open to models which can be shown off under the right circumstances," she answered before turning her attention to the data pad in front of her."If these are accurate, her performance marks have also increased substantially from the last check."

"Yes, Ma'am," Dr. Yamada agreed hastily, clearly more unnerved by the woman's critical assessment than that of the other man."We have focused on the required skills such as marksmanship and hand to hand combat.She maintains 95% accuracy with pistols and rifles, the other 5% is still within acceptable parameters.At this point she is also the equivalent of a second level black belt in judo and karate."

Quincy had been scanning through his own data pad and asked, "So are we still on target for the demonstration?"

"Um, well, Sir," Dr. Yamada admitted with clear discomfort, "We've been having problems with the synthetic skin and body temperature simulations. I mean, they're still above par from older recreational boomer models, but not enough to be passable for human, yet."

"I'm certain part of the struggle is because of your team's excellent standards for acceptability," Quincy commented with a reassuring smile.He turned to the data which continued to scroll before him."So if we were to still hold to the demonstration deadline, which requirements have the highest level of jeopardy?"****

"The status and projected completion date for all requirements are on the progress matrix labeled 'Sylvie.6'," the scientist answered as he looked at his own data pad."I've pointed out all of the outstanding development items which would directly impact what I've understood to be your intention for the demonstration.The others are obviously not as target critical."

"I see...Madigan, what is your recommendation from this list?"

"Sir, I believe the priority should be related to anything cosmetic and tactile.After all, our biggest selling point of this model will be the ability to pass for human at even the most casual of interactions."

"I concur, however, let's refine that a little.I want top priority given to skin and facial expression simulation.The speech simulations can be prioritized last for the time being.However, I do want oral tactile and functional refinement to continue.After all, replacing rubber dolls will have a higher priority than providing conversation."

The comment immediately drew a blush from the scientist, though Madigan didn't bat an eye as they followed along on their own pads.

"Y-Yes, Sir.Anything else that should be of priority, Sir?"

"If it helps, you can lower the capacity requirement for the person recognition file from twenty down to three, in addition to myself and Madigan.I will also authorize a 5% bonus per additional requirement met beyond these basics by demonstration day.I expect final confirmation Tuesday that we will meet that date since the invitations are set to be sent out then.However, I want to make certain you do not over commit yourself personally, Dr. Yamada.I am very well aware that I can't have you show up at your wedding an already spent man.Just do what is reasonable."

Dr. Yamada bowed gratefully, "Yes, Sir.And thank you, Sir, for your generosity.I am certain my team will be suitably inspired to bring greater honor to Genom Corporation at this demonstration."

"I trust that you will." Quincy then turned his attention back to the boomer and smiled appreciatively."So her name is Sylvie, hmm?"

"Yes, Sir.It helps to give names to projects, especially when you've work with them for such a long time.It's for the benefit of the team only, though.We will of course call her whatever you wish once she is formally christened."

"No, keep it.I like that name." Quincy then bowed and said, "Good work once again, Dr. Yamada.If you'll excuse us."

Bows were exchanged and the two executives left the lab, each perusing their data pads as they walked down one of the empty corridors of New Genom Tower.

"Sir, I wanted to wait until after our meeting with Dr. Yamada to point out that we've received the file on the Perry Electronics buyout."

"Oh?"he said, as he opened and skimmed the file in question.

Madigan tucked her own pad under her arm as she reported the information from memory."Yes, it's been confirmed that Chang Enterprises is the buyer and will take over as of July.A public announcement is expected to come out at the end of the week."

"Chang Enterprises?They ring a bell for some reason.They've never been a competitor of ours before, have they?"

"No, they've never had a direct part of any of the technical developments or manufacturing affecting us before.Apparently, they're a family corporation, extremely old money based on the premise of making certain promises were kept and people were protected.Because of that reputation, they are considered quite a formidable presence in the international circles, Hong Kong especially.Their current leadership is under Richard Chang, a man who has made quite a name for himself and his family business, with much more reputable and lucrative business practices in the area of shipping.It is speculated that he pursued Perry Electronics to devote proprietary research and development towards security products."

"And this is noteworthy to us how?"he prompted.

"Perry Electronics is also a parts manufacturer for many types of technologies, over half devoted to boomer parts.Traditionally, their research and development department has been solely devoted to enhancing the performance and longevity of said parts."

"Ah, I see.And so there's a chance Chang Enterprises may creep into our territory either as a competitor if they go into boomer development, or as an ally if they just stick with parts manufacturing.Or they may lose their importance if they decide to drop that aspect of the business completely."

"There's one other piece which may influence that decision," Madigan added as they came to the elevator and waited."Richard Chang's personal facts."

"Let's see...Age fifty-two, born in Hong Kong and raised in Tokyo.Married for thirty-one years to Mitsune, also age fifty-two, socialite.Has two daughters.The oldest Reika is twenty eight, single and lives in America as an actress...._Still_ single?"

"Suspiciously so."

"Ah.Second daughter Irene is twenty four, engaged, lives in Tokyo as a physical trainer.Set to marry Dr. Sho Yamada on June 30th....I see..." The man mused as he trailed off into a noticeably unhappy silence.

The elevator finally opened and the two walked into the empty car.Upon the closing of the doors, Quincy hit the "stop" button and looked at Madigan seriously."Give me the theorized worst case scenario at this point."

As if prepared for such a request, Madigan immediately replied, "Due to their acquisition of such prime technical research and development resources, Chang Enterprises may consider entering the world of boomer development.With both powerful leadership and financial backing, they could quickly position themselves as a serious competitor.Should that happen, or because he is an acknowledged resource connected to the family that may actually instigate that situation, Dr. Yamada may feel honor bound to quit Genom Corporation and work for his in-laws.His personality profile would fit such a type.It is also possible that he would feel committed to completing his current project, but his level of quality could be compromised as well as the fact we would be losing an even more knowledgeable resource upon the project's end.

"There is also the fact that Chang Enterprises has no immediate successor given that neither daughter seems to show an interest or aptitude for any of the family businesses.Therefore, as the only son-in-law, our Dr. Yamada would be the most logical and viable choice.And given that he's clearly proud of his involvement with our project even though the general public would not approve speaks of a man who is capable of making his own priorities."

Quincy scanned the pad darkly for a moment and then said, "I want all possible contingency plans against any kind of risk by tomorrow morning.Make it the top priority of your team.I want to know all of my options before deciding on a course of action."

"Yes, Sir," she said as she started to make entries into her pad.

He hit the "stop" button to allow the elevator to continue moving upwards.Then a small smile quirked his lips as he added, "Just in case, make certain an invite to our demonstration is sent to Mr. Chang.I think such a man would be worth meeting in person.Providing nothing happens to him before then."

"Yes, Sir.That would be unfortunate."

-- End Chapter 3 --


	5. 5/13 - Daddy's Girl

BGC P2040

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series 

"Stripes in the Jungle"

Chapter 4: Daddy's Girl

by P. Kristen Enos

http://members.aol.com/bgcpost2040

* * * * *

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. 

Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Most of these stories take place AFTER the TV Series!!! So DON'T blame me if I ruin the ending for you because you read these stories first!

* * * * *

Richard Chang sat by himself in the large living room.The mansion felt unusually quiet and peaceful considering over fifty people lived within its walls.As the head of the household, Richard wasn't about to question the quiet, instead relishing it while he could as he watched the fireplace gently glow before him.He stared down at the solid ebony ring on his right ring finger, his habit for solitary moments like this.The firelight gave the carving of the tiger's head an eerie aura, as if fully symbolizing the hundreds of years of power it had come to represent.And once again, Richard couldn't help but ponder the price he paid for it personally, as well as countless other lives the power touched directly or indirectly.

"Dad?" a sleepy voice called out from the doorway."Mom said you wanted to see me?"

He turned to see his personal pride and joy standing there, though clearly suffering from the effects of jet lag and time change.Although pleased, his mild annoyance was evident."I told her to send for you only if you were finished with your nap."

Dressed in a shorts and an oversize t-shirt, Reika closed the door and indulged in a yawn and stretch before she came over and joined him on the couch."She caught me on my way to the bathroom.You know Mom.If you're moving, she thinks you're awake."Although her Japanese was still fluent, she clearly had the accent of a woman who had spoken almost exclusively English for the past five years.

He smiled as she snuggled against his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, a position she had claimed ever since she was much smaller and much younger.He privately relished the fact that she looked like the spitting image of her mother when the latter woman was her age, which was no small compliment since it was well known in their social circles that Mitsune was quite the natural Japanese beauty.His daughter's resemblance was even more striking now that she had actually let her black hair grow out and drape freely down her shoulders.Richard was a handsome man himself, born of a Chinese father and a British mother, but he was glad his genes took second place to her mother's, except in the area of height.Reika was tall for an Asian girl at 5' 9", but her slender figure and grace complimented it well.

Richard kissed the top of her head and said, "Well, I just wanted to insure that we would have at least one time where we could talk with just the two of us.I mean, I know you're here for a whole month, but I expect most of that time is going to be devoted to helping Irene prepare for the wedding."

She looked up at him with a much more alert expression as she frowned slightly."I'm here to spend time with everyone.Even with Grandpa.But I know what you mean.You and I haven't had a chance to really spend time with each other since I moved to America.Actually, even longer than that if I think about," she admitted with a sad smile."So what do you want to talk about?"

"Are you sure your producer was okay with you leaving the play in mid-run?"

She shrugged and said, "Ticket sales have been dismal.It was a pathetic play so there was no reason to keep going.And no one had the guts to call it quits.So I guess I made the decision for everyone by leaving.I think everyone was relieved though so there shouldn't be any hard feelings with anyone other than the producer."

"So what are you going to do when you get back?"

"Go to more auditions.Attend more workshops.Do more commercials or modeling if I had to just to pay the bills.My agent is hunting a couple of small movie roles and a t.v.pilot right now.Nothing real concrete at the moment.I still have substantial money coming in for some commercials I shot in January.I'm having more and more friends talk about relocating to New York to try the theatre scene there, but I really like Los Angeles and I don't want to move."

Her father winced slightly and remarked, "That's on the other side of the country.You'll be even further away."

Reika rolled her eyes and said, "No matter where I am in America, you'll always say I'm too far away."

"There's always the possibility of coming back to Japan," he offered even though he knew they were following the path of a discussion that was years old.

"And go through my own culture shock?I know you, Mom and Grandpa would insist that I have a full-time bodyguard or two and reside in a high-security complex if I were to ever live on this side of the Pacific.That's why I need to be in a place that doesn't know or care who my family is.At least at this point in my life.I need to be 'a' Chang, not one of 'the' Changs, even though I will never deny my family heritage.Unlike Irene, I'm not willing to change my last name just so I can live a private life in Tokyo."****

"And it's that Chang fire that makes me all the more proud of you even if you aren't home more often."

"Well, don't be too proud.I always have it in the back of my mind that if things ever got really tough, I'd call for money.I'm just grateful it hasn't reached that point yet," she confessed with a sheepish grin.

He laughed and said, "Actually, I have a confession too.Your mother and I are extremely proud of your work.Every time we see one of your plays, your mother always brags about you to our friends.And to Grandpa, too.Even in that play where you spiked your hair and wore painted stripes on your face."

"Really?!" Reika was clearly shocked.

"Yes, well, don't tell her I told you.She wants to maintain that impression that you should be living in Tokyo no matter what.But she always make certain she gets twenty copies of any magazines your ads appear in."

She giggled and said, "The secret is safe with me."

They settled in a comfortable moment of silence as they both watched the fire before them.

"So," her father began carefully, "Is there anyone special in your life?"

Reika took a deep breath at the familiar subject of dread."No, I've been too busy to think of dating.And there's no one I've been interested in since Sarah."

"Oh, that's too bad.I'm sure you'll find the right person eventually."

Another moment of silence.

Reika finally sat up and looked her father directly in the eye and asked, "I know we've never really talked about this but are you and Mom honestly okay with me being a lesbian?"

He turned away and looked at the fireplace.Even in the odd light, it was clear he was blushing from embarrassment.He finally said, "Well, let's put it this way: will the answer affect your dating habits, or just how honest you'll be with us?"

Reika lowered her gaze sadly and said, "I never want to be dishonest with anyone.That includes you and Mom, and myself."

"And I would not want anything less from you," he said as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead."Reika, I honestly just want to make certain you're happy.Your... preferences may not have been my ideal for you, but I can't say it's a shock.After all, we've known for a long time, even before you decided to be more open about it."

Reika narrowed her eyes suspiciously and asked, "How long have you suspected?"

He smiled softly and said, "Your mother and I had many, many conversations about how close you and Sylia were."

It was his daughter's turn to be embarrassed.She and Sylia's friendship started and blossomed because they both went to the same elite girls school all through their pre-teen and teenage years.Their personal chemistry had grown naturally and deepened over the course of time, which had been helped along by their raw physical attraction to each other.However, she thought the two of them had been particularly discreet in the years that they had been lovers rather than just friends.

"No wonder you two never liked her," his daughter remarked.

"Wait a minute, I want to clarify that," he said firmly."I liked Sylia tremendously.I thought she grew up to be extremely well-adapted given how much she went through as a child, what with being orphaned the way that she was.Your mother felt the same way.We just didn't like the fact that she had no ambitions.She was clearly bright and should have been able to go to any university she wanted, but to be content to spend the rest of her life existing on her father's money just indicated someone who has no passion or desire in life.We were afraid that lack of ambition was going to rub off on you."

Reika bit her lip for a moment as she tried to come up a suitable reply."Well, Sylia definitely had her own priorities in life no matter what anyone said."

"Is that why you two eventually stopped seeing each other?I mean, we were never clear when the relationship actually ended.We just noticed when you stopped talking about her after you had been at Tokyo University for a couple of years."

His daughter squirmed uncomfortably for a moment and then admitted, "It was a combination of accepting the reality of differences in life desires and the fact that she fell in love with someone I couldn't compete with."

"Oh."

"Don't get me wrong," she added hastily."It was an amicable end.I still consider her to be a dear friend even though we haven't spoken to each other in years.I guess it was our way of knowing that we had reached as much growth in our relationship as possible without making things extremely complicated."

"Are you still in love with her?"

"I don't know.I think I'm over her, at least I hope so," she answered honestly."I would need to see her in person to be able to confirm that, and I don't have any plans to do so.And I don't think she's ever been a factor in any of my other romances.I just think I haven't met the right person that I've really fallen in love with, ever."

He smiled and said, "It'll happen.You're too good of a catch to not have that happen eventually."

She chuckled and said, "Thank you but I do think you're biased, Dad."

"Happily so."

Reika then decided that this was an opportunity to ask a harsh question."Dad, have you ever regretted not having a son?Or at least a child who showed more interest in the family business?"

He let out a small sigh and said, "I would never regret having a son if it meant at the expense of either you or Irene.But as for a child who would succeed me in the business, that one is a little tougher to say.After all, I know I didn't grow up feeling like I would have the weight of being the next generation Chang since all of the expectations were on my older brother Ken.I had planned to be a teacher because I loved history so much and wanted to share that with as many young people as possible."

"I didn't know that," Reika admitted in amazement.

"But when Ken died in that skiing accident before I graduated from college, I knew my fate was sealed and there would not be any compromises.So I changed my major to business and took on the role of the successor with every intention of doing my best to not let down our family or taint our family honor.By the time grandpa retired to let me take over, I was completely prepared.I know things and I've made decisions that I would never wish on either of you, but that worry is always in the back of my mind in case something were to happen to me before we can prepare the next successor."

A chill went through Reika as she once again snuggled against her father."So have you met Sho yet?"

"Yes, he's a very pleasant young man.A scientist type who works for Genom.As a wedding gift of sorts, I've acquired a company that has scientific research resources that he can take over to develop his own projects.He was suitably impressed and enthusiastic about the prospect even though he's committed to Genom through the end of the current project he's on.He's a nice change from your sister's previous boyfriends in that he actually has a functioning brain between his ears."

Reika giggled and said, "And have you educated him on the realities of our family heritage?"

"He took it surprisingly well.Apparently it helps to have a reputation once he realized we were 'the' Changs.He fully understands that the successorship would fall directly on the shoulders of the children he and Irene would have.Just in case, I may have to groom him for preparation if my leadership doesn't last until their children can take over.I think he's capable of it."

"Dad," Reika began softly, "Do you honestly always worry about dying suddenly?"

She felt him kiss the top of her head before he said, "That's why I want you and Irene to live your lives with as much freedom as possible.I made my sacrifices so you two wouldn't have to, within reason of course.As much as we are respected, we are also hated.And retribution may not come as a result of anything I personally did but because of our family legacy as a whole.For me, the fears and sacrifices are worth it if I know you two have the best quality lives possible as a result."

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome, Honey."

-- End Chapter 4 --


	6. 5/13 - Motivation

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 1: "Stripes in the Jungle" 

Chapter 5: Motivation 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

With the wheeze of each breath, a sweat drenched Sho Yamada watched every painful second pass by before the digital timer finally reached the twenty minutes mark.

"At last!" he declared as he hit the stop button and wearily leaned against the rails of the treadmill, not hiding his fight for breath.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you don't do a cold stop after a cardiovascular workout?!" his physical trainer declared as she forcefully pushed the start button but quickly adjusted it for a lower speed "You need to cool down just like you warmed up!"

He let out a groan but continued to move his legs at the machine's prompting. "You are a cruel woman, Irene Chen!" he muttered, giving her a death glare.

She smiled sweetly and said, "You were the one who walked in here five months ago because you were feeling cooped up in your lab all day long. I am just doing what you're asking of me. And you are improving despite yourself. You haven't done a complete collapse in a while." Then she added with a lower a voice and a sultry tone, "Of course, my personal incentive is that I'm working on building your stamina for our honeymoon. And I'm telling you right now that twenty minutes is not going to cut it."

The man suddenly brightened at the thought and proceeded to continue his walk with a much more enthusiastic attitude.

Seeing that this battle was won for the moment, Irene took a step back and glanced around the gym. After working there for five years, she made it her habit to greet all of the regulars and get to know new faces. Since it was late night, when the peak of the after work crowd had already subsided, the people usually left at this time were the die-hards, people who had really weird work schedules, or people who had no lives.

It was then when she noticed an unfamiliar woman step out of the locker room and move over to one of the bicycle machines, apparently starting her workout for the evening. Irene narrowed her eyes at the woman because she couldn't shake the feeling she had seen her somewhere before. Dressed in a tank top and shorts, the stranger was clearly not a new to work outs given her lean, athletic build. She was pretty with light brown hair that was styled in a short but cute boyish cut. 

Then it clicked where Irene had seen her before.

"Excuse me a moment, Dear. I think I know that woman."

"Well, I'm hitting the sauna after this."

"Take your time," she answered as they gave each other a quick parting kiss.

Irene walked over to the obliviously peddling woman and called out, "Linna Yamazaki?"

The woman in question almost jumped off the bike in surprise, whirling around at the break in her concentration. Seeing who spoke to her, she narrowed her eyes a bit and guessed, "Irene?"

"It is you!" the physical trainer declared happily, rushing up to the woman for a hug. "I almost didn't recognize you because of your hair style."

Linna blushed and ran her hand through her hair. "I just got it cut yesterday. I needed a change."

"It looks really good! In fact _you_ look really good!" Irene declared as she blatantly assessed the embarrassed woman from head to toe. "When did you move back to Tokyo?"

"Last week. This is my first night I've been able to come in and work out since I've been dealing with moving and my job transfer."

"Are you still working at Hugh Geit?"

Linna nodded sheepishly. "Still an O.L."

"I'm telling you, just say the word and I'll get you a job here. You're a natural athlete. You shouldn't be rotting behind a desk."

Linna shrugged. "I come to the gym to relieve stress from the rest of the world. I don't want to work here too. -- Hey, is that an engagement ring?"

"Yep," Irene declared as she held up her hand proudly. "It's from that well-worn man on the treadmill over there."

Linna looked and reacted with some surprise. "He looks...different from your previous boyfriends."

"I guess it was just fate that made me realized that sweetness of heart didn't need to be packaged in rippling muscles."

"Well, congratulations. When's the big date?"

"End of the next month. In fact, drop off your new address in my inbox at the front desk and I'll send you an invite!" Irene paused a moment and then asked, "So are you seeing anyone these days?"

Linna blushed even harder as she admitted, "No. Still haven't met anyone interesting. A couple of dates when I was Osaka but that's it."

"Girlfriend, I can hook you up with some really eligible catches here. The quality in men has increased dramatically since you left."

"Um, well, may be some other time. Right now I'm just focused on settling back in Tokyo," Linna answered quickly as she started to peddle her bike to resume her workout.

Irene stared at her for a moment, as if mentally assessing the other woman's words and actions. Then a flicker of something deeper passed across her face as she smiled once again. 

"I'm having a bridal shower-slash-bachelorette party Saturday.I'd like you to come if you're free," Irene said. "You'll know some people from the gym, like Cynthia and Naoko, so you won't be a complete stranger." Then as if she was struck by an after thought, she added, "And you'll finally get to meet my sister Reika. She's staying with our parents for the next month to help with the wedding."

"I'd like to come," Linna said genuinely. "I'm also glad there's no pressure to bring a date for this."

"Oh no. Girls only!" Irene emphasized. "And you better not skip out like you've done to some of my other parties, or I'll send my big sister after you!"

Linna laughed in response to the tease. "I promise I'll show!"

"Good! I'll talk to you later," Irene said as she finally walked away, looking incredibly pleased for some reason.

Linna noticed the reaction but just shrugged it off as unimportant while she continued to peddle away.

The reaction everyone was having to her job was really starting to bother her. She had originally came to Tokyo to become a Knight Saber. The office lady position was just a public reason as well as something to pay the bills. However, now that there wasn't a need to don hard suits anymore, her own personal dissatisfaction with her job had increased, and everyone's comments weren't helping. And it wasn't as if she had any other hobbies to pursue in her off time that would either make the work hours sacrifice worthwhile, or could be turned into a career in and of itself.

Or did she?

Irene's offer burned in her mind. Could she really be happy working in a gym?

Of course, anything would be an improvement to being an O.L., given that her new boss was just as lecherous as her previous ones in Tokyo. Luckily her boss in Osaka had left her alone in that area. She was sure his disinterest was connected to the rumors that he was gay, although she had never confronted him about it.

Then Linna remembered the judo classes she took at her gym in Osaka. Her attendance was more a lark than anything serious, merely going along with some of her work out buddies because they were drooling over the male instructor. She had stopped going because she was struck down by a flu and had lost interest by the time she finally recovered.

Still, it was one of the more interesting ways she spent her time.

Suddenly enthused, Linna mulled over that thought as she peddled a little faster.

-- End Chapter 5 --

* * * * * * 

Special Author's Note: I've decided to try an experiment by using the Private Forum feature and allow for a public discussion (with occasional input from me) on this series: update notification, discuss what's currently going on, and explore ideas for future stories. Interested? Go [ here.][1]

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	7. 5/16 - Bull's Eye

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 1: Stripes in the Jungle 

Chapter 6: Bull's Eye 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Linna stared at the numerous stacks of boxes labeled with a variety of apparel items in the space that was once, and will soon be again, The Silky Doll. 

"My God!" she declared out loud in amazement, "Is Sylia opening a clothing store or a warehouse outlet?!" 

When she agreed to help, she hadn't expected that such a huge volume would be involved. No wonder Sylia was taking such a long time to move back to Tokyo. 

"Silly, most of it's lab equipment," Nene remarked as she walked by with a box marked 'Lingerie'. "I think I finally understand why she has a storefront. She couldn't ship all of this stuff here without causing suspicion otherwise." 

Linna wisely kept her mouth shut as she looked at the transparent wall separating the interior of the building from the large aquarium that Sylia also used as a personal pool. The exotic fish swam around in their own bliss, creating the surreal but soothing atmosphere that hid well the building's darker secrets. 

"Hi, Linna!" Mackie Stingray called out as he appeared from the women's dressing room, which was the front for the secret elevator to the laboratories below. As usual, the apparent teenager with the bushy, dark brown hair greeted her with genuine cheerfulness. "I like your haircut!" 

"Thanks, Mackie. I was afraid I made a mistake but now I'm already used to it. So where's Sylia?" 

"Down in Lab Three. She said to send you down there as soon as you got here." 

"Lab Three? I thought there was only one lab." 

"Sis decided to make some modifications since she had to rebuild this place from scratch anyway." 

"Yeah, like making sure the swimming pool cover shuts automatically when this place is in defense lock-down," Nene commented, referring to the unfortunate oversight in the original design that had allowed rampaging boomers to invade and destroy the building. 

"Don't remind me," Linna said with a nervous giggle. "I still have nightmares about that one. Is anyone else here?" 

"Just Henderson," Mackie answered as he easily picked up a suspiciously heavy looking box. "He just told us lunch should be ready soon so you arrived just in time." 

"Good! I love his cooking," she declared as she walked to the dressing room. "I'm off to see Sylia." 

She walked through the dressing room to the large mirror. After pressing the hidden button, the mirror slid aside, revealing the familiar glass elevator, ready to take her to the floors down in the depths of Tokyo. 

The new labs were apparently two additional floors below the main lab, where Sylia had housed her former Knight Sabers operations, and where Linna had met the team as a whole for the first time four years ago. Curiousity getting the better of her, Linna pushed the button for Lab Two, but it didn't light up, showing Sylia's ever present security precautions. Realizing she would just have to be patient because the answer would come sooner or later, Linna pushed the button for Lab Three and waited in the elevator as it descended. 

The elevator opened to reveal a spacious room with a low ceiling and numerous unopened crates and boxes patiently waiting in the middle. Long, silver hair loosely pinned up and dressed in coveralls over a tank top, Sylia stood in the middle, focused on operating a motorized dolly by remote control to move a large box from the freight elevator. Ever aware of her environment, she was not at all surprised to see Linna appear from the elevator, greeting her with a pleased smile. 

Like Priss, Sylia wasn't a phone or letter person by nature so their quality time together over the past three years had been a personal visit every three or four months just to catch up with each other's lives and confirm the fact they were indeed friends. Of all of the Knight Sabers, the Galatea crisis had been the hardest personal challenge for Sylia. After all, it had been her personal cross to bear ever since she was a child, when her own father used her brain as the foundation for the experiments leading to the creation of Galatea and Mackie. Linna noticed that even though on the surface Sylia had always presented a bubbly, overtly friendly charm to strangers, in private she was a source of hatred and rage at her imposed legacy. 

Although she had never witnessed it personally, Linna had heard from Nene and Mackie that Sylia used to have dangerous and spontaneous tantrums at the time Galatea was starting to resurface. Now that Galatea was gone, Sylia seemed to have reached a deep peace within herself, and it showed in a genuine easy manner which was her standard demeanor for everyone now. 

"Hello," Sylia said, greeting her friend warmly with a long hug. Then she ran her fingers sensually through the other woman's hair, causing Linna to blush, before saying, "It's good to see you." 

"You look incredible, as always," Linna commented genuinely as they parted. "Are you sure you want to move? The country life was apparently good for you." 

Sylia just gave her the usual enigmatic smile as she shrugged and said, "I'm a city girl at heart. And I miss my shop." 

"Oh, yes. Your hobby," Linna teased as she leaned against a nearby box marked 'Undergarments.' 

"One of them," Sylia added as she turned her attention back to the dolly. "By the way, you can help me with unpacking these boxes. I want to make certain the movers didn't damage anything. You can use this packing knife and check off the items listed on this pad. But be careful when you open the boxes. The contents are extremely special to me." 

"Of course," Linna said as she took the offered knife and began the task of helping her friend settle back home. "So why the extra lab space?" 

"My latest hobby." 

As soon as she said that, Linna lifted the cardboard flap to find a neatly packed assortment of pistols. She almost jumped back in surprise. "Sylia, these are guns!" 

"They're not loaded," she answered, with the slight quirk of a smile on her lips, as if Linna had stepped right into a set up for a personal joke. "But that doesn't mean I want you to drop them either." 

Linna assessed the surrounding boxes and crates with new wonder. "Are _all_ of these guns?" 

"Most," she answered casually. "An assortment of rifles and handguns. The rest of the boxes contain either display shelves or the equipment for a shooting range." 

Her friend was at a momentary loss of what to say. She knew she shouldn't be shocked by a woman who single-handedly designed and developed combat armor but the concept of being interested in such weapons still eluded her. "B-But, why?" 

"I've developed a certain scientific fascination with the mechanics of firearms. Plus, I realized it's a skill that could be handy to have. You never know." Then seriously assessing her friend's stunned reaction, Sylia tilted her head curiously at her and asked, "Are you all right with this? You could go help Nene or Mackie instead if that would make you more comfortable. I just wanted your company since it would take me a while to unpack and set everything up. And having two of us would complete the job that much faster." 

Linna shook herself out of her amazement and said, "No, I'm fine. Just a little startled is all." 

As she began gingerly to pull out the pistols, checking them for potential damage and placing them in an organized fashion on the floor, Linna chuckled to herself at her own reaction. 

Even though Sylia was the epitome of femininity most of the time, she was a person who could hold her own in a physical fight. When Linna had first met Sylia, she had thought the other woman was the brains, strategist and financial backer of the Knight Sabers, leaving the actual fighting to the rest of the team. Linna remembered the time when the A.D. Police had ambushed her, Priss and Nene, apparently setting them up for the kill. Sylia shocked everyone by appearing on the scene in her own hard suit and single-handedly sending the A.D. Police running for their lives. Combat was obviously something Sylia was quite familiar with, so extending her interests and skills to firearms shouldn't have been too shocking. A part of Linna thought that perhaps Sylia's weapons oriented interests would have disappeared with the closure on Galatea but apparently not, adding to the enigma which was Sylia Stingray. 

Once again, Linna thought Nigel was an extremely brave man to be involved with such a woman. It's probably just as well that he didn't talk much because she couldn't imagine what an argument between the two of them would be like, or if he would survive one, especially when her temper was more volatile. 

"You know," Linna mused out loud, "I've always envied your ability to be curious about things and create your own passions." 

Sylia quirked an eyebrow before commenting. "Everything I do has a purpose. I am never interested in something just for the sake of it." 

"Do you ever miss the Knight Sabers?" 

"No," Sylia answered, not looking up from her own task of piloting the dolly through the maze of boxes. "It was a cross I bore for far too long, and I'm quite pleased to have that chapter of my life over with. It's nice to do things which are important because I created that importance for myself instead of having someone else create it for me." 

"I'd be happy enough to have just one hobby at this point, regardless of how I got into it to begin with." 

"I hear a tone of discontent." 

Linna sighed and admitted, "I'm feeling frustrated, I guess. Without the Knight Sabers, I feel like I'm at a loss for something to strive for." 

Sylia was quiet for a long time, seemingly occupied with maneuvering the dolly. "What kept you motivated when you were in Osaka?" 

"The idea that I would be coming back to Tokyo. Now that I'm here, I don't know what else to look forward to. I just want to be something other than be an O.L., where I serve tea or do boring computer work all day." 

"Ah. Well, you could always work in my shop. I've always found it to be a fun past time. A lot of sexy women are my customers," she added with a sly grin. 

"A fun past time? I thought you didn't do anything without a reason." 

"It's a safe outlet for me to make certain I behave myself otherwise." 

Her friend smirked and said, "I often wonder if you'd be completely lesbian if Nigel wasn't in your life." Of course, part of that assessment was due to the fact that even though Sylia openly flirted and teased women, she never gave the same treatment to any man - save her Nigel, and only in private. 

The woman in question said nothing but a mild smile curved the corners of her mouth in response. 

"You know, while we're on the subject, I wish you would come out to Nene one of these days," Linna remarked. "I used to think it was cute that she's clueless but it's starting to become... awkward." 

"I would say something if it was ever relevant. I have no reason to, and she's never asked." 

Linna frowned. "You'll tease her by threatening to kiss her, but you won't just say that you're bisexual?" 

Sylia turned and focused completely on the other woman, planting a hand on her hip for emphasis. "Dear, if she hadn't figured it out _after_ I threatened to kiss her, then I would think that stating it so blatantly would be an insult to her intelligence." 

"Oh, so you'll only do it if you can make her squirm in the process?" 

Sylia paused as if to contemplate that statement for a moment before the most devious glint sparkled in her eyes. "Well, I could say it this way when we sit down for lunch: Nene, I just want to let you know that night during the Galatea crisis, when I pretended I was going to kiss you, Mackie was wrong to give you the impression I was only kidding. In fact, I actually had a drunk make-out session with Linna three hours later. -- " The other woman whipped up her head in alarm as Sylia continued her mock speech, "-- By the way, Mackie, please pass the soy sauce. -- And while I'm telling you this, I do want to say that when she's tipsy, Linna's quite the incredible ki-" 

_"ALL RIGHT! YOU MADE YOUR POINT!_" the other woman blurted, but not quick enough to stop her entire face from turning crimson. She actually had rather fond memories of that moment. It was something that unexpectedly happened and was mutually stopped before it got too out of hand, but it was one thing she definitely didn't think Nene needed to know. 

Linna paused and lifted her head questioningly. "Wait a minute, you're actually suggesting I work in the Silky Doll?!" 

"I've seen you read those fashion magazines so you can't tell me you'd be unknowledgeable," she responded with the faint hint of a tease. "Or do you just buy them for the pictures?" 

Linna felt herself blush from head to toe as a reaction, even though she wasn't willing to entertain just how accurate Sylia's comment may be. After all, even though she did dress up on occasion, the idea of comfort usually dictated her own personal fashion sense. Since she wore an office uniform all day, she didn't want to spend her personal time in skirts and hosiery any more than she had to. 

"Thanks but I don't think I have the sales girl demeanor in me. Actually, I've been thinking taking about taking up judo again." 

Sylia mulled that over and remarked, "Handy skill to have. Always room for growth. But no guarantee of the sexy women. I pass." 

"Oh and where are the sexy women when it comes to your latest hobby?" Linna said with a pointed wave at the surrounding boxes. 

"You're here, aren't you?" 

Sylia chuckled triumphantly to herself as Linna once again blushed but then reacted with a laugh of her own. 

-- End Chapter 6 -- 


	8. 5/18 - Chemistry Lesson

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 1: Stripes in the Jungle 

Chapter 7: Chemistry Lesson 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

_'Wow, she's gorgeous!'_

That was the first and only thought that hit Linna when she saw Reika for the first time, which was in the middle of introductions for Irene's party. 

Unfortunately, Linna's stunned reaction was so obvious when they greeted each other that Reika's startled expression showed she noticed. The two women blushed and averted their eyes in embarrassment. 

No one seemed to notice or care because there were quite a few women who came from different sections of Irene's life, everything from her gym life to her school days. 

Totally intimidated and flustered, Linna made a point to avoid Reika at all costs because she didn't think she could say anything remotely intelligent. It also didn't help that she couldn't stop staring, which was aggravated even more by the several times Reika caught her, repeating the mutual reaction they had the first time. 

She had seen the pictures of the sisters on display throughout Irene's apartment, but it was nothing like seeing this woman in person. What amazed Linna was the fact that the sisters looked relatively similar, especially in the photos, but while Irene was cute and easily approachable, Reika had an elegant and detached gracefulness to her beauty. The only thing that made her seem even remotely down to earth was the fact that she was dressed in a simple brown shirt and beige slacks, in contrast to the bright yellow summer dress her sister wore. 

In being friends with Irene, Linna had always been aware of the older sister who was an expatriate in the U.S. and lived the life of a marginally successful theater and commercial actress. The only other thing she knew was that Reika had attended Tokyo University and majored in English, which she apparently spoke fluently. 

Knowing that this woman would make her feel very much the awkward country hick from four years ago, Linna maintained her distance and had fun chatting with the other gym staff and regulars. Yet she couldn't shake an ever constant awareness of where Reika was at any moment when she was in the same room. 

Linna took an opportunity to privately relax in the kitchen, knowing that Reika was out on the balcony with a couple of other women from the gym. She was embarrassed by her reaction to the other woman, and wondered if she could make it through the rest of the party without having to directly talk to her. 

The only other person who ever made her feel this flustered was Sylia. Reika was definitely just as beautiful yet she didn't seem to have that provoking personality... nor the edgy raw energy of Priss. Then again, that comparison didn't quite apply since Priss never intimidated Linna. Pissed her off maybe, but never intimidated. 

"Are you looking for something?" Irene asked as she came into the kitchen. 

"Um, no, just getting another drink. That's all," Linna said, trying to act and appear casual as she anxiously put her half full beer bottle on the counter. 

"Well, there's plenty," the other woman said as she popped open the fridge and started to rummage inside. 

Silence. 

Feeling like she had to say _something,_ Linna blurted, "Wow, Reika is really beautiful. It's no wonder she's an actress!" 

"I'm glad you think that because she asked about you," Irene commented from within the fridge. "She told me you're the sexiest woman she's seen in a long time. But the problem is that she's extremely shy when it comes to approaching someone she's seriously attracted to." 

Linna froze, not quite sure that she had heard what she just heard. Her heart started to speed up as she dared to accept a positive conclusion. She had been so intimidated by the woman that she didn't even check for signs of being available or taken, like a wedding or engagement ring. 

With a blatantly pleased grin, Irene reappeared with a bottle of chilled wine and pulled out an opener from the drawer next to her guest. "And I think it's extremely fortunate that you're both single right now. Unless of course there's something you haven't told me...." 

"N-No, I'm not seeing anyone," Linna stuttered as she watched her pour three glasses of wine. All mental functions were crashing together at that moment. 

Irene then picked up two glasses and held them out to her. 

"What's this?" Linna asked, finally able to focus clearly on something. 

"You said you were thirsty," she answered. "And she's waiting for the other one." 

"Oh.... Thanks," Linna answered numbly as she took the glasses. 

Linna felt like she was on autopilot as she carried the glasses through the crowded apartment and out to the balcony. 

Reika was still there, chatting in English with Cynthia, a tall British girl who was also a physical trainer at the gym. Reika immediately glanced over at Linna and then noticed the glasses of wine. She looked a little confused and glanced beyond her for some reason. 

"Yes, one of them is for you," Irene said, holding her own glass in one hand and the bottle in the other. 

Linna was so out of it that she hadn't noticed that other woman had followed her from the kitchen. 

"Cynthia, can I have your assistance for a moment?" Irene asked as she corralled the other woman away, leaving two women behind who resembled frozen deer in headlights as they stared after her. 

An awkward silence fell upon the two of them as the moon glowed brightly above, in contrast with the merry noises and lights coming from the apartment. 

Feeling that her nerves were starting to get the better of her, Linna took a healthy gulp from the wine glass. 

"Um, the other one _is_ mine, right?" 

"Yes! Yes, it is!" Linna declared in horror, quickly realizing she had never actually handed the glass to her. 

"Thank you very much," Reika said softly as she accepted her drink with a polite but clearly amused smile. 

Linna felt like she was going to die of embarrassment. At this moment, she wished there was an army of boomers nearby that she could jump into, even if she didn't have a hardsuit. 

In an effort to salvage some dignity, Linna stiffly bowed and said, "If you'll excuse me - " 

_"Wait!_" Reika blurted as she instinctively reached out and snagged her arm. 

Linna froze at the contact. She was startled by the gesture but was more distracted by the bolt of electricity created by the hand on the bare skin below her short sleeve shirt. If the sudden widening of Reika's eyes was a sign, the other woman clearly felt the energy too. 

Realizing what she had done, Reika immediately removed her hand in embarrassment. She was clearly struggling to think of something to say as she kept her gaze lowered, which was odd given that she was almost a head taller. 

While patience was not normally her strong point, Linna happily waited, indulging in the other woman's nearness as well as in a couple of glances to take in more of her beauty from this close. 

"Um, Irene mentioned that you just moved back to Tokyo after being away for three years and that you were only here a year before that," Reika said, trying to increase the eye-contact even more despite the fact she was now clearly nervous. "And well, since I haven't been back for an extended visit since I graduated college, uh, I wonder if you want to go and explore some of the sights together?" 

Feeling completely at ease now, Linna smiled gently and answered, "I'd like that." 

As if the positive answer was what she needed to finally relax, Reika returned the smile and asked, "So what would you like to see?..." 

* * * * * 

"Linna, thank you so much for staying and helping to clean up. You didn't have to do that," Irene said as the three remaining women gathered by the front door. 

"Nonsense," she answered as she put on her jacket. "I like feeling useful." 

"Then we definitely should have had you here to help set up," Reika commented wryly. 

Just then the phone rang, causing Irene to jump in excitement. "That has to be Sho! It was great that you came, and I'll see you in the gym next week!" She gave Linna a quick parting hug before racing to beat the answering machine in the next room. 

Linna and Reika looked at each other and smiled after being abandoned by their hostess for the second time that evening. 

"I'll definitely give you a call so we can schedule getting together this week. I'm just hanging out right now without any regularly scheduled appointments. And since Irene works most nights, I'm usually free at that time." 

"I look forward to it," Linna answered genuinely. She turned to reach for the door and paused. "I'm glad Irene 'coaxed' me into talking to you." 

"I'm glad she did too." 

Another moment passed before they bowed to each other and said good-bye. After Linna departed for the night, Reika closed and bolted the door, finally collapsing against the wood as she felt all of the built up tension from the night release. 

_"Well?!_" Irene demanded, peeking her head out from the kitchen. 

"I thought you were on the phone!" her sister retorted in mild annoyance. 

Unintimidated, she answered, "I told him I'd call him back as soon as I heard the door close. That was the shortest goodbye I've ever heard!" 

"Well, we only just met tonight," Reika commented with an evasive shrug. "And we're only going to hang out for a bit. It's not like we can pursue anything since we live an ocean apart." 

"You can always move back, you know." 

"I won't over a potential romance, thank you. I'm not _that_ much of a lesbian," Reika remarked as they walked into the kitchen. "And I don't know how much of one she is either since we really didn't talk about that specifically... I have to admit I'm surprised by all of this because I didn't think you approved of me dating women." 

"I didn't approve of you dating _Sylia_," she clarified. "Your other girlfriends were okay." 

Reika narrowed her eyes and asked, "Are you certain it's not because she was the first?" 

Irene made a face. "Give me some credit. You know I have good instincts with people. Mom and Dad may have thought she was a slacker. I just felt there was something creepy about her that I could never put my finger on." 

"Then what is about Linna that has your seal of approval?" Reika said, deciding it was time to change the subject before they got into a fight over a woman who hadn't been in her life for over eight years. 

"I think she's sweet. And there's a genuineness about her that you don't find in most people." 

"Okay, that I can see," she admitted. "How much does she know about our family?" 

"Not a thing. So your concern about 'bought affection' is a non-issue. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she thinks _your_ last name is 'Chen'." 

"Oh." Reika responded, obviously not having considered that before. "So, did she tell you she was gay?" 

"Not officially," she admitted. "I always tried to fix her up with the guys at the gym but she always found a reason not to date each one. But I always caught her checking out the women in the club, although I don't think she ever thought I noticed. And I never heard her talk about men but she always had this friend Priss that she hung out with. I saw her once, extremely butch, dresses in leather and rides a motorcycle. At the very least, I thought if Linna wasn't actively gay that maybe she was but just didn't know it." 

"Well, I still consider that piece to be inconclusive," Reika insisted. "Like I said, we really didn't talk about that tonight. I'm taking the stance that I may have met a really good friend tonight. But I do admit she's eye candy." 

Irene rolled her eyes and muttered, "I honestly don't know how you lesbians date to begin with. I only pushed her because it was so obvious that neither one of you was going to make the first move. And I was not about to suffer through one more hour of watching you two moon over each other from across the room!" 

Her sister's response to that remark was a well-aimed plastic party cup to the head. 

-- End Chapter 7 -- 


	9. 5/23 - Scientific Discovery

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Chapter 8: Scientific Discovery 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"-- Dr. Yuri and the rest of the team are still going through the documentation," Dr. Yamada reported as he stood in the center of the luxurious office that was bigger than the giant lab he spent most of his time in. "At this point, however, I can guarantee we will be able to make 95% of the requirements by the demonstration date." 

Clearly impressed, Quincy leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard. "The information is _that_ valuable?" 

"Yes," the scientist confirmed, his excitement clearly evident even though he tried to maintain his formal stance. "The design information is revolutionary. The fact that it predates all existing documentation on boomer technology is what makes it all the more remarkable that it was kept completely classified. We've theorized that had this design been fully deployed, we probably would not have suffered the Boomer Revolution in 2040." 

"So then are you suggesting that would mean we would finally negate the rogue risk if we fully incorporated the designed into our all of new gen models?" Madigan questioned as she stood by the window. Her skeptical tone was subtly evident, but then she almost always sounded skeptical. 

"It's a theory," Dr. Yamada responded earnestly, realizing he was clearly on point to justify his statement. "As we are all aware, not all of the associated documents were recovered, which may have included the reasons behind the final decision of why the design information was never fully deployed, as well as what actually happened to the prototype created. None of the documents mention any rogue element in the prototype; in fact it gives the impression that the model was by far the most reliable and trustworthy design ever. It stands to reason that the rogue element was introduced because not all of the sophisticated core functions were incorporated in mass deployed models, which could have been due to a variety of reasons from excessive expense to unnecessary capabilities." 

"If that theory is true, then we have to consider the fact that our latest generation of boomers are even _less_ sophisticated than the Revolution models," Madigan pointed out. "Which in turns means an even _greater_ risk of going rogue." 

"Yes, but," answered the scientist firmly, showing he was more occupied with the point of the debate rather than focused on the intimidation factor of who he was actually debating with, "We are also aware of the fact that the Revolution was confined to Tokyo since the exact same models deployed elsewhere in Japan and internationally were unaffected." 

"I think the outstanding issue is that we still don't know what exactly caused the Revolution," Quincy interjected smoothly when he saw that Madigan was going to fire off another point. "Which is why we have the Data Recovery project to begin with. Are we agreed on that?" 

Both employees curtly nodded. 

"Now then, back to these recovered files. You've stated that meeting 95% of the requirements should not be an issue. What is the outstanding 5%?" 

"The remaining 5% is the requirement around full environment interaction. Because my team is still sifting through the documents, we may actually uncover something to bridge this gap. What is additionally noteworthy is that the original requirements for Sylvie may prove to be too easily met by the information we've gleaned." 

"Meaning?" Now both executives appeared intrigued in their own way. 

"For example, the person recognition file that we've envisioned is extremely primitive compared to what the document has outlined as achievable. The maximum number of persons may be significantly higher, like in the thousands or greater, since it seems as if we can build a cleaner and more advanced interactive module. The documentation also details how we can combine that module with easily assessible retention, creating reference information as a base for approaching new and unfamiliar interactions." 

"You mean create Boomers with the capability to learn?" Madigan questioned, clearly startled by the statement. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Dr. Yamada answered, his original enthusiasm returning. "Not just with people, but anything which is part of their environment, based on whatever parameters we define." 

"It almost sounds like we can achieve a sort of sentience with our models," Quincy commented as he mulled over the implications of the statement. 

"In theory, yes. At least, as much sentience a machine can accomplish, which even at the most advanced levels detailed in these files is still below the natural abilities of a human child. These files are clearly missing some sections so we have an opportunity to conduct our own research to see if these information gaps are easily recoverable data. That is just one option of many that we've found so far. There are other benefits, such as much more efficient internal designs which will allow us to create body frames comparable to the size of a child," he stated, clearly being swept up by the excitement of possibilities. Catching himself, he cleared his throat and adopted the formal demeanor before stating, "Obviously we wouldn't be able to incorporate everything we've learned from the documentations by the demonstration date. However, Sir, for the next version of Sylvie, I am requesting a total reevaluation of the requirements as they currently stand because I have high confidence that we can upgrade her to standards far superior than what we originally thought was possible." 

Quincy looked at Madigan questioningly. 

She gave a nod though her expression was unreadable. 

"Dr. Yamada, you have my full permission," Quincy declared. "In fact, I would request that you and Dr. Yuri allow your team to proceed with the original requirements while the two of you do a reevaluation and proposal as soon as possible. You are dismissed." 

Once the clearly pleased scientist left, the CEO leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "Well, that was certainly interesting. In the course of fifteen minutes we find out Boomer Technology is far more advanced than we ever thought, and that our doctor has a backbone to him after all. It seems we have to reevaluate our plans for him. With what he knows now, we definitely cannot lose him to any competitors, either accidentally or intentionally. However, I am curious to hear what he and Dr. Yuri will come up with in the requirements reevaluation." 

"So do we change our plans for him, or merely delay them?" she asked as she looked out the window at the view of Tokyo Bay. On the horizon, she could see the construction tower that marked the site of the Skyhook Rebuilding Project. 

"I'm thinking he may be so blinded by his scientific interest in these documents that we can use that to our benefit. However -- " His comment was interrupted by a vibrating sound coming from within his vest pocket, which was Madigan's cue to occupy herself with reading her datapad. 

He pulled out his cellular phone with a noticeably concerned look on his face. "Hello?… Oh, hello, Sweetheart… Yes, I'll be at the recital tonight. Tell your mother I'll meet you at the school…. Well, tell your brother that I will check to make certain your pontytail is intact. If it's not, then I'll order Mr. Hino to lock up his video games for a week…. Yes, explain it as _seven_ days… Okay, Sweetheart, I'll talk to you later. Love you. Bye." 

Quincy let out a weary sigh as he turned off the phone, at which Madigan allowed herself a wry grin as she continued to scan her pad. 

"I just need to hear that every once in a while to confirm that it's a good thing I don't have more than one," she commented dryly as she put her pad down. 

"Yes, but yours is also in college. I have at least four more years of this. Of course, it would end sooner if Junior actually acted his age," the father grumbled as he massaged his temples. "I'm sorry. Where were we?" 

"Dr. Yamada," she prompted, back in business mode. "What should we do about him now that he knows what he knows." 

Quincy mulled it over a moment and then asked, "So are we certain that we've recovered all of the files that we can for that project?" 

"Given the volume that is still yet to be processed through the final level of recovery analysis, it's hard to say. But it seems all of the files were together so I think we may have the majority of the information. And I know the way Mason worked, and how he would mislabel files for coverage. I've instructed my team to give priority to analyzing all of his files and they are 99% complete." 

"Dr. Yamada is getting married on June 30th, hmm?" Quincy said as he checked his own data pad. "And the announcement of the Perry Electronics buy out has been already made public. But deals can always fall through, of any sort… Suggestions?" 

"Unless something is done, he will become part of Chang Enterprises sooner or later. And if it's not Perry Electronics, it could be another company which could become his personal lab and factory. Mr. Chang seems to be a man who knows how valuable his people are and how to best use their skills. And given Dr. Yamada's personality profile, I do think we will be spared a risk of him leaking any technology information as long as he's still employed with us. However, once he's no longer loyal to Genom, there is nothing to guarantee he will keep this information completely proprietary. He's too much of a scientist not to use all of the information he knows. It is also possible he might not plan to leave so soon now that he has a new challenge with Project Sylvie and may want to see it through to the end." 

"True." Quincy stared out the window from his seat and finally said, "Tell him and Dr. Yuri they have until the end of the week to turn in a new proposal for Sylvie. During the weekend, execute the first part of Plan C, and let's see what happens. I am hoping it will stall the wedding, but it could also backfire and cause us to lose him sooner. And if that happens, execute the second part of the plan without delay. Also set up a meeting with Dr. Yuri. I think it's high time we had a chat with this man to find out what his career plans are.... And reward the programmers who recovered those files with a 10% bonus." 

"Yes, Sir," Madigan responded promptly as she exited while making notes on her pad. 

-- End Chapter 8 -- 


	10. 5/23 - Matters of the Heart

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 1: Stripes in the Jungle 

Chapter 9: Matters of the Heart 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Reika narrowed her eyes at the displayed pictures on the bookshelf. 

It was a two-picture frame holding two images of a young, brunette woman a frilly pink dress with matching ribbons. The two shots were obviously from the same photo shoot. The first one was the woman sitting by herself with her arms crossed, and her scowl showing that she definitely did not want to be there. The second photo was the same woman now accompanied by a younger, pixie-looking blonde girl with a huge grin who was clearly enjoying herself as she tried to stretch the first woman's face into a smile. 

Reika scanned the rest of the living room of the apartment and noticed that there were no other pictures on display. She looked back at the picture and realized that the woman was definitely pretty despite herself and her predicament. 

"Here's your drink," Linna said as she appeared from behind her. She handed over the glass with a wide grin and a little bit of a bow as a joking reference to their first real meeting. 

"Thank you." Reika took the offered glass with a gentle smile and then pointed to the picture. "She doesn't look too happy." 

Linna broke out into a chuckle and said, "That's Priss. She actually hates those pictures. She had to do it because she lost a bet with a mutual friend of ours. I just keep them out here to piss her off when she visits. I keep the nice ones of her in the bedroom." 

Reika's face fell slightly. "Oh." 

"I-I meant, I keep _ALL_ of my nice ones in the bedroom, friends _and_ family," Linna corrected quickly. The blush was back with full redness. She reached over and pulled out a CD from her collection and handed it over. "This is what she really looks like." 

Reika looked at the cover of the same woman performing at a concert dressed in leather and exuding a raw, sexually charged charisma the crowd was obviously responding to. She grit her teeth at the unwelcome feelings of jealousy that started to surface, something she hadn't experienced since Sylia. 

"She's been on a 'world tour' with her band for the past three years," Linna explained. Then she studied Reika for a moment and added, "I miss her but I know she's happy with her boyfriend." 

Reika was obviously a little relieved. Then she took a sip and pointed to the second picture. "Who's the blonde?" 

"Our friend Nene. She works for the police doing computer stuff." 

"I can't picture you naturally crossing paths with either of them. How did you meet?" 

Linna was quiet for a moment and then explained, "Well, Priss almost drove over me on her motorcycle, causing me to spill my lunch. So I chased her to demand that she replace it. It was either that or yank her off the bike to kick her ass, which was really my first impulse. We eventually reached a truce of sorts. And she and Nene were already friends before I came into the picture… Now that I've answered some of your questions, let's go sit on the couch and you can answer some of mine." 

Reika smiled and said, "All right. What do you want to know?" 

Even though the two women had actually gotten together once before on Wednesday, their conversation then had been very polite and pleasant as they spent their time exploring the shopping district. Now that it was Saturday and they were finally alone, there was a certain acknowledgement that the added privacy would allow them to get to know each other better than in their earlier conversations. 

"Like how you ended up becoming an actress in America after studying English at Tokyo University." 

She studied Linna for a moment, as if evaluating what she should actually say. Then she smiled softly and said, "It started off as me taking an opportunity to enjoy my youth. My family has a very large business that my father runs and since I'm the oldest and there are no sons, there was always a certain expectation that I would succeed my father. Since I definitely had no passion or interest in it, Dad encouraged me to go 'enjoy my life' while I could before I had to come back home and be responsible. Acting and theater was as far from corporate life as possible, and it turned out I actually had some talent. And to sound completely conceited, my looks didn't hurt. In fact, my hair used to be as short as yours but I grew it out when it was apparent that looking as close to American expectations of Asian girls would get me more jobs." 

Linna looked noticeably intrigued. "So when are you expected to move back to Tokyo?" 

"Originally, I was supposed to come back when I reached the age of thirty-five so there would be enough time to groom me for successorship before my dad retired. However, Dad is the worst when it comes to forcing me or my sister to do anything. If he had his way completely, I would never become part of the business, and he always acted like I wouldn't be affected. But we really know that's not realistic. Plus, Grandpa still holds the real strings and he's a strong believer in family loyalty and obligation. As far as Grandpa is concerned, it was just a matter of me coming back to the fold eventually." 

"Then it sounds like you have seven more years of freedom." 

"Actually, it may be permanent now," Reika stated with a pleased smile. "With Irene marrying Sho, Dad is strongly considering grooming him for successorship instead, which is definitely fine with me… So why did you move to Tokyo the first time?" 

"I felt stifled being raised in the country, and I didn't really belong," Linna admitted as she studied her drink for a moment. "I guess moving was my own form of enjoying my youth. At least I figured I'd try to make a life for myself in Tokyo and see how successful I am. And if it didn't work out, I'd return home and marry some farm boy and pump out grandchildren like my parents want." 

"Well, that certainly sounds like something to postpone for as long as possible," Reika gently teased. "Then why did you transfer to Osaka?" 

"An opportunity with my company," Linna answered with the half truth. "It turned out that it wasn't something I wanted to do permanently, and I missed my friends like Priss and Nene. So I came back as soon as it felt right." 

"Are you happy to be back?" 

Linna shrugged and answered, "I'm feeling a little lost right now. Like I don't have any real motivation for the moment. But I'll find something eventually." 

"Good. -- Excuse me, but can I use your bathroom?" 

"Of course. It's over there," Linna pointed. 

As soon as Reika had closed the door, Linna jumped off the couch and quickly went out to her balcony. It was late afternoon so the sun was still up and the view from her fifth floor apartment was still decent. However, she wasn't there to enjoy the Tokyo scenery. 

Linna carefully peered over the railing and spotted her target sitting at an outside the table at the coffee place across the street. He was a man in nondescript, casual clothes with sunglasses and a cap, who seemed to be absorbed in reading a paper, but he was definitely in easy viewing access of the entrance to her building. 

When she first noticed him on their Wednesday shopping trip, she thought it was her imagination or extreme coincidence that he would appear every once in a while, apparently out of the way but he always in the background. Linna wouldn't have noticed him at all if it wasn't for the fact of how tall and solid looking he was. He could look down to Leon. When she and Reika parted at the subway station for the evening, Linna didn't see him anymore so she thought it was just wild coincidence. 

So when she noticed him again that morning, and once more showing up every once in a while at the same places she and Reika were at, her alarms were triggered. Was this guy a stalker? If so, the biggest issue now was that he apparently knew where she lived. 

This was one moment where Linna wished her judo classes started last week rather than next month. She also wondered if it wasn't too late to get some shooting lessons from Sylia as well as "borrow" a pistol or two. 

"See something interesting?" Reika asked in her ear. 

Linna let out a shriek as her reflexes kicked in and she jumped up and almost over the railing. Luckily, those same reflexes kept her from completely leaping over as she froze on mid-motion, but she gripped the metal bar like a vice. 

At the same time, however, a horrified Reika reacted with reflexes of her own, grabbing Linna by the waist and pulling her back down. 

Both women's hearts were practically pounding out of their chests as they stood there. Linna was not letting go of the rail and Reika was not letting go of her. Neither one spoke for a minute as they tried to calm down. 

Linna was aware of the strong possibility that had Sylia or Priss seen this, they would have been respectively disappointed and embarrassed. She didn't even want to contemplate what Nene's reaction would have been. 

"Sorry about that," Reika finally murmured into her ear. Then she paused and added, "Actually, that's not completely true. I'm glad the result is you in my arms." 

Linna felt her pulse rate pick back up. She was now focused on the fact that she could feel Reika's slender frame completely pressed up against her back. It definitely wasn't a bad feeling. She gulped and decided it was now or never. She moved to turn, and Reika loosened her embrace but not by much, so they could face each other. It took just one look directly into those brown eyes for Linna to realize and accept the fact that there was no other choice but to kiss her. 

At first Linna couldn't help but compare the experience with the only other person she ever kissed -- Sylia. However, the level of intensity, circumstances and sheer emotion involved was so incredibly different that she allowed her brain to just shut off and be swept up in the moment. It was as if they couldn't get enough of each other but at the same time, they were both content to take their time with becoming comfortable with each other physically. 

She didn't know exactly how long they kissed, but when they finally parted the sun was definitely lower in the sky. 

Once again, they stood on the balcony, facing the Tokyo view with Linna nestled with her back against Reika, but the serenity of the mood was drastically different from before. They were both quiet as they indulged in the feeling of having their arms entwined as they shared the embrace. 

Linna noted casually that the Stalker seem to be gone. 

"I am honestly scared about what we should do next," Linna confessed softly. "I've never had a successful date with someone before, much less gone to bed with them." 

Reika kissed her ear and said, "You kiss very well for someone of such limited experience." 

Linna blushed but allowed herself a pleased smile. "I had some spontaneous kissing practice with a friend once a couple of years ago. We were having an evening of true confessions over a bottle of scotch and one thing led to another. But we stopped it from going too far because we realized it was just an physical release for both of us, and our friendship just wasn't meant to be like that." She paused and added, "Personally, I think it got that far because she was dressed in _only_ a short bathrobe. And she's definitely a flirt when she's sober so the alcohol just added to it. But I also can't claim I was an innocent party in any of it." 

Reika chuckled. "I used to have a girlfriend who was like that so I completely understand. Never got anything done when she was in one of those moods, sober or drunk. Not that I'm complaining mind you… But enough of past experiences, what do you _want_ to do now?" 

Linna was quiet for a long time and Reika patiently waited for a response as both women continued to enjoy their physical nearness. 

Linna finally asked, "Are you committed to going back to the U.S. after the wedding?" 

"I think," the other woman answered carefully, "That this is the first time in a long time I would be willing to seriously reconsider my plans around that, such as exploring a compromise of sorts to see if things would work out. And the timing seems to be right in general for reevaluating my life options." 

Linna took a deep breath and said, "I think we should see what I can do to change your mind before you have to leave. And I will tell you right now I will give it my best shot... But because I'm terrified of being hurt too much, I don't think we should go further until you've made a final decision to compromise." 

"I agree that's fair…" Reika then frowned a bit as a thought occurred to her. "Does this mean we can't kiss anymore?" 

"I never said _that,"_ Linna stated quickly as she turned in the woman's arm to face her once again. "I just think we should have something to look forward to. A sort of present to celebrate you returning to Tokyo." 

"I like that idea." Reika then lowered her head to resume their kiss when a faint beeping noise suddenly came from within the apartment. 

Linna was bewildered by the sound. "I don't know what that is." 

"It's my cell phone. It'll go to voicemail," Reika answered as she refocused the women on the task at hand by planting her mouth on Linna's. 

A couple of minutes of silence went by before the phone rang again. 

The women parted with a sigh. 

"I'd better answer it just in case," Reika explained as she quickly walked back in but kept her fingers firmly locked with Linna's. She fished the phone out of her purse and answered in English, "Hello?" 

Linna tried to be unobtrusive even though she was thoroughly thrilled with the feeling and naturalness of Reika's hand in hers. 

Suddenly, Reika's fingers clenched abruptly. 

_"Wh-What?!"_ the other woman exclaimed in Japanese, her tone and expression was dazed with shock. She swallowed and took a deep breath before she continued to speak in Japanese, "-- No, I'm at a--a friend's place right now. I'll call Kou to come back and fetch me. Expect us in an hour, at the most… No, Grandpa, _I'll_ call Irene! She needs to hear this from me! And we'll pick her up since she's on the way.... Good-bye." 

Reika hung up the phone but she remained frozen, her fingers still tightly entwined around Linna's. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. 

"What's wrong?" Linna asked, her heart racing with concern. 

"My parents. Th-They were killed in a car accident." 

-- End Chapter 9 -- 


	11. 5/23 - Role of a Lifetime

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Chapter 10: Role of a Lifetime 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

The dignified and elderly Jae-Hong Chang stared by the window of his study and stared out at the luxurious flower garden at the heart of the family compound. It was such a beautiful sight for such a sad day. 

A soft tapping at the thick oak door signaled that his appointment was here. 

"Enter," he commanded as he took his place at one of the two chairs set up before the fireplace. 

The door swung open to reveal the large, imposing presence of Kou, a personal bodyguard and assistant to the Chang Family for over twenty years. Dressed in the black business suit with the white armband, he stepped aside to let the woman he escorted enter. 

Reika walked in, dressed in a black dress with the white armband. She bowed and said, "You wished to see me, Grandpa?" 

The older man motioned for her to sit in the other chair as he sadly took in the stress and strain that marred her beauty. "How are you doing, child?" 

"The funeral helped. But I will always miss them," she answered softly, clearly struggling to keep from breaking down into tears once again. 

"That is to be expected and nothing to be ashamed about," he declared, trying to fight back his own tears at the loss of his remaining child. "However, as extremely cold-hearted as this may seem, there are some urgent matters I must discuss with you." 

Reika looked at him expectantly and waited for him to continue. Her resigned expression showed that she was not at all surprised at the timing or purpose of the meeting. 

"Your father's passing has left our family empire in a vulnerable state such we have not experienced in over four hundred years. Part of our success is that we've always had a smooth and quick succession of strong and respected leadership. The other part is that we've been a formidable presence due our loyalty and commitment to each other and our legacy. As you know, we do not now have a leader who can fulfill publicly and privately both parts." 

"What about Sho?" Reika asked. 

Her grandfather took a deep breath and stroked his white mustache for a moment. "I know your father had high hopes for grooming Yamada as the next successor. But the fact is that we've not had a chance to test his skill or loyalty in the matter." 

"Loyalty?" she repeated, mildly alarmed by his choice of words. 

He looked at her directly and stated, "We have not yet received confirmation that your parents' deaths were indeed an accident." 

Reika's eyes widened in surprised. "But the police already closed their investigation as conclusive." 

"It is also part of our legacy that we never believe someone else's truths until we have confirmed them for ourselves. We're having our own resources investigating the matter and will hopefully provide confirmation one way or the other by the end of the week." 

"All right, then let's say it's proven to be a murder set up, why would we question Sho's loyalty to our family because of it?" she persisted. 

"Yamada may have passed our initial background check on him but there was one glaring detail which stood out: he is currently a scientist working on a top secret project for Genom Corporation. We were willing to overlook the detail at the time because we thought it was to our advantage that he proved to be a man who could keep secrets when necessary. Now, it may have cost us." The elder Chang took a breath and added, "It was brought to our attention that the truck which hit your parents limousine belonged to a subsidiary company to Genom. It may be an extreme coincidence but that is why we are continuing with our own investigation. We have not yet ruled out the possibility that he could have had something to do with the staging of the accident to accelerate his personal successorship to our empire." 

Reika stood and shook her head as she began to pace. "This makes no sense with the Sho I know. I admit I don't know him that well; but I do trust Irene's judgment in people. She wouldn't associate with much less want to marry such a character." 

"Child, love can blind even the best of judgments," he pointed out sadly. "And I am honestly hoping that he is not associated. But in our world, betrayal is a common risk. Though your father probably never told you, the death of your Uncle Ken was not an accident. He was secretly drugged so he would have that skiing accident. We eventually uncovered the murder plot and brought his killers to our own form of justice. To be a leader of the Hou Bang Clan risks a short lifespan. I am only this old because I am far more suspicious than most." 

She paused and looked at him. "So is that why you wished to talk to me? To ready myself as the successor should he prove guilty?" 

"No, actually, I am asking you to take over successorship now, regardless of the outcome of our investigation. I trust in your ability and loyalty the most of all of our options. If you so choose down the road, you may eventually groom Sho to take over permanently after giving him a suitable trial period. But your father was in the middle of negotiations for some very crucial deals that are in jeopardy with his departure. Also, some of our strongest allies are waiting to see how we're going to handle this change in leadership. We need to secure their continued confidence as soon as possible to insure there are no unnecessary losses to our prestige and power. I have been able to step in and buy some time during this transition period, but the longer we wait on establishing our next leader, the more our empire is jeopardized. And you are our best option for the smoothest and quickest transition." 

Reika didn't say anything as she stared at the fireplace. Her mind was racing with all of the information she had just absorbed. 

"Child," her grandfather began softly, "You know I love you and would not ask this if I did not feel it was necessary in the support of our family legacy. And you know how much your father believed and supported the Clan. Do not let his efforts go to waste. Kou and I will be there to guide you when necessary. It is the one bittersweet positive part of this whole mess is that Kou was not in the accident because he had been following you instead of taking his normal place at your father's side." He gave an acknowledge nod to the man who stood patiently by the closed door of the room. 

Reika asked, "Does Irene know anything about this investigation into either the accident or Sho?" 

"No, I thought to spare her until we had something conclusive. As you know, she's already agreed to postpone the wedding so there is no issue there." 

"Then I'll do it. I'll take over the leadership of the Hou Bang Clan," she said softly, still staring at the flickering flames. "On the condition that you drop the investigation, especially into Sho. Let it remain an accident. No good will come out of researching it further." 

He widened his eyes in surprise and asked, "You have that much faith in Sho?" 

"I have that much faith in _Irene,"_ she answered, looking at him directly. "I will do and be everything you need to carry on our family legacy. If Sho really had the intention of wanting to secure an accelerated successorship for himself, then that opportunity goes away if me and my own children carry on the legacy blood line... And I won't risk the possibility of a future where Irene would have to mourn her own children. I am willing to give up everything to insure her happiness is untouched." 

The elder Chang said nothing as he studied his granddaughter's face carefully. 

"Grandpa, if you designate me as the new leader, then you must have faith in my instinct and judgment, and no time is better to start than now," she stated firmly. 

He smiled slightly but the pride in his eyes was evident. "Very well. I will give the order to close the matter and no one else needs to be involved." 

She bowed and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. Is there anything else you wish to discuss for now?" 

"No. Kou and I will bring you up to speed tomorrow morning on everything that is happening so you may continue your father's work next week. In the meantime, I recommend that you settle your personal matters as quickly as possible. Knowing your father's schedule as well as the extra damage-control which needs to be done, you will probably not have significant personal time for another two months at least." 

"Yes, Sir. If you'll excuse me, I have some phone calls to make," she said with an additional bow. Then she turned to leave, giving an acknowledged nod to Kou, who returned it with a bow of significant depth. 

When the two men were left alone, the older man looked at the Hou Bang Clan loyalist and asked, "So do you feel she will succeed in what we've asked of her?" 

"I have seen her act, sir," he admitted, "And she can be quite believable." 

"Which is fine as long as no one calls her bluff," he commented softly as he stared at the ebony tiger ring on his hand. 

-- End Chapter 10 -- 


	12. 5/23 - The Burn of Desire

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Chapter 11: The Burn of Desire 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Linna waited on the sidewalk as she anxiously glanced at any car that looked like it might pull up to the front of the office building. Even though she had agreed to a short meeting with Reika, she had belatedly realized she had no idea what kind of vehicle she was looking for as she waited. 

The last time Linna had seen Reika was on that night when Reika received the news of her parents' untimely deaths. She vividly remembered the sight of the clearly distraught woman as she disappeared into a waiting car to go to an emergency family meeting. Linna's lack of patience had almost driven her crazy in the past week because she wanted to call and check up on the grieving woman, but she knew the situation was far too sensitive to approach with her usual bull-by-the-horns style. So Linna had no choice but to force herself to wait, as torturous as it was. 

On the other hand, Irene hadn't been at the gym since the news and according to the front desk personnel wasn't scheduled to return for another week. Therefore Linna could not check on her friend either. 

So naturally, she was both thrilled and worried when she had finally received a message from Reika the previous night. 

Reika had sounded haggard and a little scattered as she left a message apologizing for not calling sooner, saying that she had been occupied with the preliminary funeral service in Tokyo followed by a visit to the family compound in Hong Kong where her parents' ashes were going to be housed. She also mentioned that she had some bad news but wanted to see Linna to tell her in person. Unfortunately, the only time she could see her was a maximum of fifteen minutes on the way to the airport for another out of country trip. 

"Linna, are you going to join us for lunch?" 

She turned to see two of her O.L. coworkers approach her. "Not today, thank you. I'm meeting someone." 

"Oooh! Is he handsome?" one of them teased, expecting the usual denial of anything romantic in the other woman's life. 

Linna said with a gentle smile, "I wouldn't quite use the word handsome." 

Clearly floored and fascinated, her coworkers were about to barrage her with questions when a long, gray limousine suddenly pulled up to the curb beside them, causing all three women to stare with complete amazement and shock. 

The back door opened and a tall, imposing man in a black business suit stepped out. He had very chiseled, hard features that were matched by the salt and pepper crew cut of his hair. Linna's jaw dropped to the ground even further when she realized that he was her would-be stalker from a week ago. 

He bowed deeply and greeted, "Miss Yamazaki." He held the door open for her, clearly indicating that she should get in. 

"I'll see you after lunch," Linna declared to her coworkers as she stepped into the limo and the bodyguard closed the door firmly behind her. 

Kou then gave a bow of acknowledgement to the other amazed women, who hastily responded in kind. Without another word, he disappeared into the cab to occupy the passenger side of the front seat. 

* * * 

"I'm so glad you're able to meet me on such short notice," Reika explained as the two women sat in the back of the car. "I was afraid I'd miss you with such a limited window." 

"I would have found some way to free myself so we could meet," Linna answered softly as she tried to get used to the idea of being in a limousine. It helped a little bit that Reika herself was dressed in jeans and a casual shirt so the mood didn't feel so formal even though Linna was dressed in the standard Office Lady attire. 

Linna tried not to be too obvious as she took in the details of the woman who sat next to her, yet she was appalled at how gaunt and unhealthy Reika looked. She wanted to hug the woman, or at least touch her in some way to show support but she kept to herself based on instinct. 

"How are you doing?" she finally asked. 

Reika shrugged a little helplessly. "I'm surviving at the moment. I've been so busy with trying to fill my dad's shoes that I haven't had much time to think about anything else. And I've been so exhausted otherwise. I guess it's a good thing because it keeps me from being completely depressed. How are you?" 

Linna looked a little startled at the shifting of the focus to her but she answered, "I'm doing okay. I certainly haven't had quite the… traumatic experiences you've had lately. So when you say you're filling in for your dad, does this mean you've agreed to run the business after all?" 

Reika was quiet for a moment as she stared at the ebony ring that was engraved with a tiger's head on her right hand. 

"That's why I needed to talk to you," she finally said, barely keeping her voice firm as she spoke. "It turns out that Sho wouldn't be a suitable successor to the business after all, so I've agreed to take over. Permanently. I'm getting by right now with approaching it as a glorified acting job, but it will change once I'm used to my new role - no pun intended. With my acceptance, however, there are certain conditions which determine what my life path is going to be. And unfortunately, it does not include the possibility of the two of us." 

"Oh." Linna felt her heart freeze but she kept her composure even though she was struggling to remain focused. After all, she had only seen this woman for a total of three times over the course of a week. It shouldn't hurt this bad, should it? 

"I mean, we could have continued dating," Reika added, her gaze focused on the traffic scene through the window, "But I know there would have been a point where we couldn't progress further in terms of becoming serious, should things have worked out. I don't think it's fair to you to lead you on without being honest about that. And I already realize how awkward this is going to be at first since you are friends with Irene, which I fully encourage you to continue… You have no idea how sorry I am about this." 

Linna swallowed and tried to fight back the swell of tears as she stared down at her hands, which were clenched together on her lap. "No, I -- I think I understand. And you're right about it not being fair to me. So thank you." 

"I mean, it's probably just as well we end it now before we got too serious about each other," the other woman said as if she was trying to convince herself that this was the right thing to do, her tone sounding shakier by the moment. "After all, I'm not expected to come back to Tokyo for another month, and it's only for a couple of days to conduct some meetings. After that, I don't know when I'd be able to come back to Tokyo for a visit, much less live. My grandfather assures me it won't always be this crazy but even he doesn't know when our current crisis period will be over. And--" 

"Reika," Linna interrupted softly. "Could you tell your driver to drop me off a couple of blocks up the road, please? I need to go for a walk." 

"Of course," she responded as she quickly relayed the order through the intercom. 

In the overwhelming silence, Reika studied Linna's profile and then reached out hesitantly. She saw Linna stiffen as the fingers came close, but she didn't say or do anything that indicated that Reika should stop. Feeling as if permission was given, Reika gently ran her fingers through Linna's hair, seeing the other woman close her eyes but still not doing anything else. Keeping her hand on the back of the other woman's neck, she leaned forward and tenderly kissed her cheek. 

By then, tears were already starting to trickle down from beneath her closed eyelids, but Linna didn't care as she leaned against the contact. She had one chance left and she was going to take it. With her eyes still closed and guided by instinct and heat, she turned to plant her mouth against Reika's. 

The women kissed, definitely with more passion or hunger than needed for closure, but neither one of them stopped. It wasn't until the driver announced through the intercom speaker that they had reached Linna's requested drop-off point when they finally parted. 

Wordlessly, they collected themselves before giving each other a look of farewell as Linna stepped out of the limousine. 

-- End Chapter 11 -- 

-- End of Part 1: "Stripes in the Jungle" -- 

Special Author's Note on 5/23/01 - Here's where giving feedback makes a difference! Due to the incredible response, I am currently making arrangements and reexaming plot elements and pacing to make this an "ongoing" series, meaning not ending as soon as I originally planned, and always having the room for extension provided I am suitably inspired with ideas I want to explore, people continue to enjoy it, and I have the support of a beta reader. 

Also, it seems the Chang sisters have proven to be popular, which means I'm reevaluating my plans to have one of them murdered in Part 2 (no surprise for OVA viewers) -- but no promises at this point. See what happens as the result of an email or two? 


	13. 5/31 - Odd Girl Out

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 12: Odd Girl Out 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Are you certain you don't want another one, Mistress Linna?" the elderly butler asked, referring to his tray of hors d'oeuvre. 

She smiled sheepishly as she held up her choice and answered, "Let me finish this one first, Henderson. I'll be sure to signal when I want another." 

The man barely masked his look of disappointment with a pleasant smile as he bowed and said, "I'll be ready!" 

Linna waited until the man was absorbed with tending to the other guests of the party before letting out a deep sigh. She stared at the morsel in her hand and realized it would be the eighth snack she didn't want yet would force herself to eat. This time she was smarter and decided to hold it for a bit as she returned her attention to the display of exotic fish before her. 

She was glad that the grand reopening party of the Silky Doll was very loud and crowded, allowing her to sulk by herself in the corner and not be bothered, with the exception of an overly attentive butler. She actually didn't want to attend, but she didn't want to be rude by turning down Sylia's invitation. However, she now wondered if it was ruder to show up and remain standoffish. The few times she actually looked at the surrounding people, she did notice some of the female guests, presumably Sylia's customer's, give her a very flirtatious look, but she just wasn't interested. 

It had been almost three week since she had last seen Reika, and she still couldn't stop thinking about her. Then again, she wasn't exactly making an effort to stop either. 

Her reluctance to force herself to forget Reika was fueled by the fact that she really didn't blame the other woman for ending things the way she did. If there was any blame, she felt it was owed to the universe in general. She had come to that final conclusion when in her walk back to the office after that fateful talk, she had run into a street cleaning boomer whose core hadn't been upgraded from the "white noise" version. She spent the rest of the afternoon suffering from a broken heart as well as a whopping headache. At least the headache had gone away even though the broken heart remained, especially since she had to suffer the nosiness of coworkers. 

It was because of this broken heart that Linna had kept quiet about Reika to everyone in her life. She didn't say anything when they went on their social outings because she was afraid to jinx something that felt too good to be true. And after it was over, she didn't want to talk about it because it just hurt too much. Plus, given that they only saw each other a total of three times before the end, she felt a little embarrassed about acting like a naive school girl suffering from her first real heartbreak. 

She had even stopped going to the gym for fear of running to Irene, who would unwittingly be a painful reminder and source of awkwardness. She was grateful Irene never called to check up on her because she wasn't sure what she would say. 

Linna had actually minimized all social contact for the past few weeks as she tried to come to terms with the current pathetic state of her life. She wondered if this would be the ultimate incentive to move back to the farm and pump out grandchildren for her parents. 

On that morbid thought, she was surprised by the sudden appearance of the hostess of the party next to her. 

"Henderson is extremely cute to watch whenever you're here," Sylia commented as she stood side by side with her, each visually focused on the fish before them. "I like how excited he becomes when I tell him you're coming over." 

Linna blushed but answered, "I'm sorry for being such a poor guest, Sylia. I should really go before I bring the party down." 

She started to take a step but was stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

"And I'm sorry for being such a poor friend these past few weeks. But now that I'm done with the move, I am fully committed to taking care of matters I've neglected," Sylia answered in a firm tone as they looked each other in the eye. "If you can wait, I'll make certain the party ends in an hour. And then I can spend some time with you and find out if there's anything I can do to bring the old Linna back." 

"Sylia, you shouldn't have to end your party because of me!" her friend protested. "I'm just going through a huge self-pity period right now. I'll be fine. It's my own fault for letting it drag out so long." 

Even though she let go of her shoulder, Sylia was quiet for a moment as her gaze penetrated Linna's, obviously looking for something. 

"I promise. I'll be fine!" Linna insisted, becoming uncomfortable by the stare as well as not knowing what the other woman would find out. "It's your party. Don't worry about me!" 

"Hi, guys! What's up?!" Nene called out as she approached the two of them, armed with a bowl of chips for personal consumption. 

Sylia flashed the younger woman a pleasant smile, "Nene, you're just in time to help wipe off the frown from our little Linna!" 

"I'm always game for that!" she answered cheerfully. Then she blushed and fished out two scraps of paper from her pockets. "Actually, Linna, I've had two women ask if I knew you and when I said I did, they asked if I could pass their phone numbers on to you." 

"I can actually add five to that count," Sylia commented with a wink and a sip from her own drink. "Nothing fascinates people more but also keeps them at a distance than a brooding look that's incredibly sexy." 

Linna's face was now the color of a tomato. She could handle having women look at her but to involve her friends was too embarrassing. "Uh, I'm not interested in dating _anyone_ right now! I'm already dealing with being dumped." 

"You are? _Since when?!"_ a bewildered Nene exclaimed as Sylia merely looked at Linna expectantly for clarification. 

Linna would have clamped her hands over her mouth if only she wasn't loaded down with a drink in one and an hors d'oeuvre in the other. 

"I-I'm exaggerating! Honest!" she declared with a nervous and obviously forced laugh. "I just went on a couple of dates with a woman named Reika, and it just didn't work out. That's all." 

Sylia looked mildly surprised and then asked curiously, "What was her last name?" 

"Chen. Reika Chen," Linna answered, expecting the question. After all, she remembered Sylia's stories of her school romance with girl named Reika, and she had to admit that she was curious to know if it was the same person no matter how wild the coincidence would be. 

"Oh," Sylia answered, apparently not recognizing the name. Then she put her free hand firmly on her hip and said, "Well, you've been keeping a big secret from us, nevertheless." 

"Don't call the kettle black, Sylia," Linna retorted with a narrowed gaze. 

The other woman broke out in a laugh. "Touché! Well, I'm off to my other guests. Nene, I leave her in your hands!" 

"Got it covered!" she responded with a playful salute. 

"I'm surprised Mackie's not here yet," Linna said as she scanned the room, careful not to linger with unexpected eye contact with anyone who might be looking for any signs of genuine interest. 

"Oh, I'm sure he's loitering at the garage since Nigel is definitely not attending," Nene explained airily. "He should be showing up soon." 

Linna was actually glad that he wasn't there yet since it gave her a chance to chat with Nene without having to suffer through watching cutesy couple behavior that would have been salt in her wounds. 

In the course of an hour, the two women had a fun time chatting about a new dessert shop that was down the street, avoiding office gossip, and Nene's new past time of hanging out in Sylia's private shooting range. Nene explained the last addiction as thrilling because Sylia's weapons selection was much more diverse than what was available at the police station. 

By the time Mackie showed up, Linna's spirits were considerably raised as she laughed and joked with one of her best friends. 

"Hi, Linna," Sylia's brother greeted cheerful as he approached them, apparently freshly showered and dressed after spending all day at Nigel's garage. "Nigel wanted me to tell you that your scooter should be as good as new by tomorrow." 

Nene scowled. "I thought you got rid of that thing when you went to Osaka! You'd get everywhere faster by walking." 

Her friend shrugged and answered, "I guess I need to be devoted to _something!"_

She felt a slight twinge of jealousy when she saw the two of them easily slide their hands together, reminding her of the extremely brief moment when she had held Reika's hand. Perhaps this was the cue to leave the party for the night. 

"Hey, look!" Nene declared merrily as she pointed to the two new guests who were being greeted by Henderson at the front door. "Daley made it after all! And you'll get to meet his boyfriend Yuuji, Linna!" 

Linna tried to hide her frown behind a forced smile as she darkly thought 'Oh, _swell!_ Even Daley's seeing someone!' 

-- End Chapter 12 -- 


	14. 5/31 - Eye of the Beholder

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 13: Eye of the Beholder 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Quincy bowed deeply as he kissed the woman's hand. He was obviously pleased by the sight of the young woman, who was dressed in a fashionable dark suit with her hair stylishly pinned up to both accentuate her natural beauty and yet maintain an aura of a true business woman. 

"I am extremely pleased to meet you, Ms. Chang," he declared, ignoring the curious looks from the other guests, a collection of the world's most powerful men from various governments, organizations and businesses. "I've heard many interesting things about Chang Enterprises as well as the Hou Bang Clan under your new leadership. I'm certain your father would be proud!" 

The last comment almost seemed to crack the young woman's cool veneer but didn't completely succeed as she removed her hand and bowed in response. "I am certain all of my ancestors would be pleased to hear praise from such a prominent man as yourself, Mr. Rosenkreuz. We Changs take our duties seriously." 

"Ah yes! And then I must also congratulate you on your engagement," he said, motioning to the diamond ring on her left hand. "You are truly the most dutiful daughter through and through." 

There was something about his tone which made her slightly narrow her eyes at him but then the look passed as she bowed again and said, "Thank you, Mr. Rosenkreuz. Now, because all of us are busy people, shall we proceed with this mysterious demonstration?" 

"Yes, of course!" he responded, unphased by her change of subject. "Sylvie, please escort, Ms. Chang to her chair." 

Reika's eyes widened slightly as an extremely tall, beautiful Caucasian woman with wavy red hair and dressed in a green kimon stepped forward to make her presence known. 

"Ms. Chang, this way please," she said in a naturally deep, sexy voice. Sylvie bowed briefly and motioned to the empty chair at the end of the row of prominent guests. 

Once Reika sat down, she noticed that Sylvie remained beside her. There were three other similarly dressed, beautiful young woman who were positioned throughout the gathered crowd in the large and clean Tokyo warehouse. 

Reika glanced at Kou, who sat nearby with the other bodyguards and assistants, motioning for him to remain alert. He gave a barely noticeable nod in response. 

Quincy stood before his audience and spoke into the microphone he carried. "I thank you, gentlemen, and my fair lady, for your attendance this day. You are here to witness first hand the unveiling of our latest model which will revolutionize the concept of personal security as you may know it today. Anri, please pass out the data pads to our guests." 

The head of Genom Corporation waited patiently as one of the kimono girls, this one was more petite with shoulder length brown hair, did as she was ordered with extremely efficient but pleasant demeanor. 

Reika watched her and realized that there was just something odd about the girl, but she couldn't put her finger on just what, whether it was her movements, her demeanor, her looks, or all of them. Perhaps it had just been a while since she had allowed herself to really notice a beautiful woman. But then she thought to herself that can't be it because only a month had passed since Linna. 

The last thought caused a slight spasm of pain which the woman immediately tried to suppress by refocusing on the situation at hand. 

Sensing something odd, she glanced up to find that Sylvie had been watching her with a passive facial expression. When Reika openly looked back, the other woman continued to stare, but the slight movement in her green eyes showed that she was studying her guest, taking in every detail, no matter how minute. Feeling like she was under a microscope, Reika chose to ignore her as best as she could given the circumstances. 

When Reika finally received a pad of her own, her eyebrows almost shot up at the title on the screen, which read 'Project: Human Target'. None of the buttons worked to display more info, which left the tantalizing title dominating the screen. From the murmurs coming out of the other guests, she could tell she wasn't the only one surprised and intrigued by what she saw. 

Seeing that he once again had command of their attention, Quincy continued his speech, "When my grandfather led Genom Corporation, he made the mistake of ultimately ignoring the human factor in the evolution of boomer technology, which I have no intention of ever doing for myself or for the new Genom Corporation. It is for our purposes and needs that boomers were created to begin with. With that being stated, I ask you to imagine the ultimate bodyguard: trained in every combat and defense skill you require, always on alert, and unquestionably loyal. And those are just some of the highlights of our latest model. Sylvie, please come forward." 

Reika breathed a silent sigh of relief that the woman with the unblinking stare was now occupied with something else. 

With smooth strides, Sylvie took her place by Quincy as the center of attention. 

"Sylvie, give me your robe." 

There was a response of confusion mixed with even more intrigue from the audience as the young woman did what she was told, revealing that she wore nothing underneath to hide her lean, athletic body which nevertheless had curves in all the right places. 

Reika arched her eyebrow but remained quiet, a contrast to the other audience members who uttered murmurs of approval. 

"Sylvie, turn around." 

The crowd, even Reika, let out a gasp of surprise at the sight of the woman's back, which was devoid of skin, showing a smooth covering of metal shaped with the appropriate bumps and lines to mimic the human anatomy. Quincy pulled out a small remote control from his pocket and pushed a button, causing the panel covering to flip open, revealing an extremely sophisticated display of circuitry. 

"As you can see, my dear guests, Sylvie is a prime example of our new model, which combines the latest versions of our recreational boomer and combat boomer lines. She looks, sounds and even feels real. Sylvie, turn towards me and take ten steps back." 

When she did what she was told, Quincy pulled out a pistol from within his blazer. 

Seeing what was coming, Reika wanted to yell at him to stop, but she kept still, forcing herself to think over and over 'She's just a boomer. She'll be all right!' 

With the aim of a marksman, Quincy fired three shots at his target. Sylvie stumbled back a step with each shot from the force of the impact. Otherwise, her expression and movements remained passive and still. 

"Sylvie, turn to face our audience and bow." 

She did what she was told, causing a large murmur of approval from the audience. Clearly oblivious to her lack of clothing and to the three black marks on her sternum, she stood by Quincy as he continued his presentation. 

It was then that Reika noticed that the data pads now showed more information about Project: Human Target, namely a list of specifications which were labeled as required and customizable features, each model pitched as being built to order. 

Again sensing something odd, Reika glanced up to see that Sylvie was staring at her once more. She glanced at the other kimono girls, which she assumed were also boomers, but each had a blank expression on her face as she stared forward, awaiting the next command. 

This time, the woman felt considerably more unnerved as she tried to ignore the attention and refocus on reading the data pad. 

-- End Chapter 13 -- 


	15. 6/8 - Hindsight

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 14: Hindsight 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Reika paused before the building labeled The Silky Doll, the home of Sylia Stingray. The twilight sky backlit the building well, even though the shop itself was fairly dark, showing that the business was closed for the day. 

Once she decided to call and ask for a meeting, Reika couldn't stop having a swirl of memories and emotions which were all associated with the woman in question. They had arranged the entire meeting by exchanging messages, not able to catch each other live and keeping the content formal but pleasant, not at all hinting at any of the depth of their past interactions, good or bad. And now she stood in front of Sylia's home, knowing that she was inside waiting for her. Her anxiety level and increase in heartbeat worried Reika as she questioned just how much she was over Sylia, especially when there were so many things that were left unresolved when Reika stormed out of the Silky Doll that final time. 

Thinking that it was probably best to leave everything alone, Reika started to consider turning around and stepping into the waiting limousine. 

Just then, the glass door slid open. A distinguished, elderly butler stepped forward and bowed deeply. 

"Mistress Reika, it is good to see you again," Henderson greeted genuinely. 

Seeing that it was too late to leave now, she bowed in response and smiled. "You too, Henderson. It has been a long time, hasn't it?" 

"Yes, and you've certainly grown into a beautiful young woman, as we always knew you would." 

"Such a charmer as always, Henderson. Do you remember Kou?" she said, motioning to the man who stood nearby. 

"Of course. Master Kou, it is also good to see you as well." The two men exchanged cordial bows. The butler then turned back to the young woman and said, "Mistress Sylia has requested that I prepare dinner for your staff as well, which is waiting in the dining room. You can have your driver park your limousine in the underground lot, which is already opened for you." 

Reika smiled at the way Kou subtly perked up and looked at her questioningly. She nodded, at which he then went to tell the limousine driver. 

"In the meantime, Mistress Reika," Henderson motioned for her to enter, "May I escort you up to see Mistress Sylia?" 

Reika took a deep breath and nodded. "Of course. Lead the way." 

They walked through the storefront and up the stairs and to the then elevator, with Reika silently taking in every detail. She knew the place had been destroyed during the Boomer Revolution, and the building had the feeling of being brand new, yet there was a certain aura about the place which was undeniably familiar, no matter how many years had passed. When they reached the top floor, Reika looked through the open living room space to the patio and pool outside. There was a table set up with a nice dinner for two, complete with candles and a bucket of chilled wine. Just beyond, she saw the silhouette of the hostess, whose back was turned towards them as she stared at the Tokyo view before her. 

"I can take it from here, Henderson," Reika said softly to the butler once they stepped out of the elevator. "Thank you for your escort." 

He nodded and went down to tend to his other guests of Kou and the limousine driver. 

Reika slowly walked out to the patio, her heels clicking softly on the tiles, not at all trying to hide her approach, aware that there was no way she would be able to surprise her hostess. She finally stopped about twenty feet behind Sylia and waited. She didn't have to wait long before Sylia finally turned and faced her, a slight tilt to her head and a gentle smile already formed on her lips. 

The two women wordlessly studied each other, taking in the changes of the years as well as the fact they had both dressed up for the reunion. In the silent exchange of looks, it was understood that they were not picking up from the harsh and hurtful circumstances of their last face-to-face meeting, and that this was an opportunity to heal old wounds. 

"Hello," Sylia greeted softly. 

"Hi," Reika responded, breaking into a shy, pleased smile of her own. 

Sylia then looked at Reika's hair and said, "I thought it was my imagination when I saw your picture on the phone message, but you definitely grew out your hair. It looks nice pinned up like that." 

"Thank you," the other woman answered. "And you look... like you've achieved peace at last." 

"I have. I have finally settled my ghosts once and for all." 

Reika arched an eyebrow and asked, "Anything to do with the Boomer Revolution?" 

Sylia grinned. "Everything to do with the Boomer Revolution. Shall we sit?" 

As they moved to the table and took their chairs, Reika was pleased to see Sylia briefly wipe her palms on her skirt, the only sign that she was nervous. Knowing that the anxiety was mutual, Reika was able to relax a bit. 

"I do want to say that I am sorry to hear about your parents," Sylia offered as she opened the wine bottle. "I know how close you were to them." 

"Thank you," Reika said softly, trying to suppress the stab of her own pain. "I'm managing. A lot has happened in the past couple of months. But it helps to keep busy so I don't dwell on the bad things for too long." 

She was also surprised that Sylia knew since Reika had never mentioned it in any of the messages they exchanged. Then again, she should have known better than to expect anything less of Sylia. Plus, there had to be a certain amount of educated guessing on Sylia's part for why Reika was now head of Hou Bang. 

The women were silent as glasses were exchanged and wine was poured. 

Reika had ten million questions that she wanted to ask, but no idea of where or if she should begin. 

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me," she finally offered. "Especially on such short notice." 

Sylia looked a little surprised by the statement. "I won't deny that hearing from you was not something I expected. But I would never turn you down, Reika," she stated. "Admittedly, you have piqued my curiosity by stating the intent is business. So we can either jump right to the heart of the matter, or do a little game of catch up first." 

"I'm all for finding out what happened to each other since then," Reika said as she took a bite from the dish that Henderson had prepared. "Who goes first?" 

"Since you're the guest, ask your first question." 

"How is Nigel?" Reika began with a challenging look. 

Sylia shook her head to herself and chuckled. "You are very much a Chang, my dear Reika. Nigel is doing quite fine, and yes, we are together. He still lives in his machine shop. -- And before you ask, he and I did not begin our... relationship until about six months _after_ you left." 

Reika pursed her lips at that last comment and asked instead, "But you two never married?" 

"No, we don't have that type of a relationship." Sylia grinned and commented, "Honestly, can you picture me ironing underwear and changing diapers?" 

"Not when we were together, no. Your turn." 

"All right then: Should I congratulate you on your engagement?" Sylia asked with a sly smile of her own. 

Reika actually blushed at the question, glancing at the ring that felt even more foreign than her Clan ring. "If you want to be polite, yes. If you want to be genuinely Sylia, no." 

The other woman said nothing but her smile remained. 

"You remember Densuke? We reestablished the engagement two weeks ago. Turns out he was still single after all this time," Reika explained, referring to the man who was part of a marriage agreement that had been arranged when they were children. When Reika reached the age of fifteen, and after realizing that she had a different romantic interest, she had her father call off the engagement. 

Sylia's smile disappeared as her eyes widened at the news. "Densuke Watanabe? If he's just as charming now as he was fifteen years ago, then I'm not surprised he's still single." 

Reika frowned. "You sound just like Irene, only you phrased it a lot more eloquently. But you have your father's legacy, and I have mine," she said, holding up the hand with the Clan ring. "I just need someone who is convenient, won't be in my way, and will father children who won't look like mutants. Densuke is ideal in that it feels like we are mutually using each other, so there are no expectations of anything deeper on either side." 

"It sounds like you've committed yourself to the idea all the way through." 

"Well, I don't want to think about the wedding night until I have to..." Reika admitted with a blush. "And there may be a lot of champagne involved just to get me through the wedding ceremony alone." 

"So does that mean you're going to acquire someone on the side?" Sylia asked with a curious tilt of her head. 

The other woman frowned and said, "That'd be incredibly tacky and clichéd, wouldn't it? I'd have a husband, at least one child, and a multi-national empire to lead, which means even less spare time, never mind not being home. I don't think I'd be able to respect or want a woman who'd put up with the first part never mind the rest. No, I've come to accept the fact that it's just not an important part of my life anymore." 

Sylia narrowed her eyes skeptically and commented, "So at the age of twenty-eight, despite being beautiful, affluent and the head of a multi-national... business, you've determined that you can live the rest of your life as if you don't have a heart or hormones?" 

"As I said, it's not important for me anymore," Reika stated firmly. 

"Now this is a moment to ponder," Sylia remarked as her smile returned. "Here we are: You're engaged to be married to a man, with plans to reproduce -- " 

"And you're in a long term relationship with a man with no plans to even live together," Reika finished with a grin of her own. "I know I wouldn't have pictured this ten years ago." 

"Me neither. Fate can be funny at times." 

They exchanged a wry look before they focused on eating. 

Finally, Reika looked at the other woman seriously and asked, "Do you think it was my fault for walking out?" 

Sylia was quiet for a moment before answering, "You left. I stayed. And this is our first conversation since then, over eight years later. I'd say it was very mutual. I don't think there would have been any other resolution that would have been less painful. And I think we were both ready to move on given the circumstances." 

"I think, my biggest regret wasn't the loss of our romance as much as the loss of our friendship," Reika admitted softly, not able to look up from her plate. "After all, we were best friends from almost ten years." 

Sylia reached over and squeezed Reika's hand. "I've never thought of us as anything less than friends. And I never will. Just because we're not lovers anymore doesn't mean I don't love you." 

Reika squeezed back and smiled. "I'm glad it's mutual." 

With the final truce having been reached, Reika took a sip of wine and asked, "So, have you kept in contact with Mackie?..." 

-- End Chapter 14 -- 


	16. 6/8 - Deep Scars

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 15: Deep Scars 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"-- The original invitation promoted it as a 'revolutionary' product demonstration; that was only tantalizing because of the sponsor, not because it actually said what the product would be," Reika said, continuing with her explanation. "Grandpa wanted me to go, not only because Dad had already accepted the invitation, but because we've never had strong ties with Genom before, either as Chang Enterprises or as Hou Bang, and he thought it would be a good opportunity to see if there would be any value there for us. And given the clout that was in that warehouse, Rosenkreuz definitely knew who his audience was as well as how much pull the Genom name has. There were characters in that place that I had already been warned about in my Clan meetings. I'm convinced that he labeled it Project: Human Target more to appeal to them than for the men who were attending for more legitimate reasons." 

"Even so," Sylia said, obviously in business mode even though her curiosity was still evident, "My war was with Galatea, not with Genom in and of themselves. As long as there are no reports of rogue boomers, I frankly don't care what they do." 

"Because I am very well aware of the fact that I could be overreacting only because I know what I know, would you care if they intentionally or accidentally create the circumstances for another Revolution?" 

Clearly visibly stunned, Sylia was quiet for the longest time before she said, "I'm listening." 

Reika took a deep breath and then began her detailed description of the demonstration, ever aware of each change of expression on Sylia's face, no matter how minute. The listening woman remained passive until Reika described the moment when Rosenkreuz revealed what Sylvie really was. Sylia's eyes widened with surprise and alarm, but then the coldest look settled on her face as she continued to absorb the details. Reika finished her story by pulling out the data pad from her purse and handing it over to the other woman. 

Reika felt a familiar chill at the look on Sylia's face as she read the data pad. It was that cold-as-steel rage which looked as if it would break loose if you even breathed wrong. The first time she had ever seen that look all those years ago was what Reika considered to be the beginning of the long and torturous end of not only their romance, but also their presence in each other's lives. 

It had been in the spring time, and the teenagers were spending a quiet weekend in the privacy of Sylia's country home, away from nosy relatives and schoolmates. Sylia had always spent her spare time on her computer, devouring information as her own form of education on subjects which were too advanced for university level classes, never mind a girl's school, no matter how elite. Reika had been on the couch, reading one of Sylia's English books, when she realized that Sylia hadn't typed anything for at least an hour. She had glanced up to see her girlfriend sitting at the terminal and staring at the text on the screen, with the most unfamiliar expression on her face. 

"Sylia?" 

The silver haired girl hadn't answered or moved. She had just continued to stare at the screen. 

Curious and concerned, Reika rose from her seat to see what was so fascinating. She had looked over Sylia's shoulder to see an Internet article detailing the horrors of a construction boomer that had gone berserk, killing half of its human crew and injuring the rest. 

Realizing what was possibly triggering the response, Reika had wrapped her arms around the frozen girl and said softly, "Sylia, it has nothing to do with you. It is not your fault." 

In a flash, Sylia had bolted up and whipped around, the action knocked Reika so hard that she stumbled backwards on to the floor. 

_"You're wrong!"_ Sylia had screamed, her face contorted in a wild, manic expression. "It has _everything_ to do with me!" 

Terrified and bewildered, Reika had been speechless as she stared up at this complete stranger. 

The rage had disappeared in the next moment, and Sylia was on the floor the next instant with her arms around Reika, apologizing profusely for losing control like that. However, despite all of the apologies, Reika couldn't help but wonder at this side of Sylia had never known existed. 

It had all started with that same look she now saw before her as they sat at the dinner table. 

Finally, Sylia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Reika with considerably more calm than a minute before. 

"Thank you for letting me see this," Sylia said. "It's a typical P.R. piece that has enough details to be tantalizing but not enough to tell you anything real. However, I'd still like to download its contents if you don't mind." 

"Of course," Reika answered. "That's why I brought it. I admit I don't know if I'm overreacting, but you had to see them, Sylia. They looked and acted almost as real as Mackie. I honestly thought they were human, especially the one called Sylvie. And I checked my business and Clan resources, and no one has ever heard of any boomer models being deployed that were remotely this sophisticated looking, even before the Revolution. I could understand it if these boomers were a natural progression from the last version, but this abrupt jump just seems to me that they got their hands on critical information as opposed to earning it through research." 

Sylia looked grim for a moment as she glanced over the pad's contents again. "I thought I had taken all of the necessary precautions to make certain it would never happen again. I wiped out everything relating to Galatea or me in their databases after the Revolution since I was certain that everyone who knew about us was dead and therefore wouldn't notice the missing files. Once that was done I considered my chapter with Genom also closed. The one time I did have to hack into their systems a couple of years ago, I had noticed their security measures were far more sophisticated than before, but I attributed it as a counter-measure against corporate espionage.... Do you mind coming down to the pit with me? I want to document what you saw at the demonstration." 

Reika's heart tightened at the thought of going to the place that had been the scene of several fights, including their final one. "Certainly. Lead the way." 

Wordlessly, they made their way to the elevator to reach the main floor, and then through the secret passage to the second elevator leading to the laboratories below. Sylia opened a panel above the elevator buttons, which showed a small glass window. She pressed her thumb against it, triggering a red glow from the sensor on the other side of the glass. Sylia then pushed the button marked 'L2', which Reika noted silently was an option that hadn't been there when she had last been in the building. 

"Do you think I'm overreacting?" Reika finally asked, as the elevator descended. 

"No," Sylia admitted softly as she stared out through the glass wall. "I had sincerely hoped that this was finally over." 

The elevator finally stopped at its destination, and Reika noticed it was a lower floor than the original pit, with a very different room layout and contents. It was obviously Sylia's hands-on workshop, with several tables in the middle, surrounding a large one that had her silver hardsuit stretched out on it. The combat armor looked strange with some of its panels opened and some parts missing or lying next to it. However, at the same time, it looked as if it would sit up and move about by itself at any moment. Reika then noticed that on one of the side tables there were unassembled pieces of what would appear to be a stylized rifle. 

Against the wall were three other hardsuits, which were clearly there to be out of the way yet readily available if needed. The designs were noticeably different than what she remembered, specifically the clear abdomens, but the basic form was still recognizable. 

"I thought you said you had hoped it was over," Reika commented as she followed her into the lab. 

"I don't like being unprepared for the worst," Sylia answered. "And in the meantime, I considered it a hobby. Like a fellow who always tinkers on a car he'll never drive." 

Reika thought it better not to comment as she glanced again at the other suits, taking in the color schemes: red, green, blue.... 

"Yes?" Sylia asked when she noticed the other woman abruptly stop in her tracks. 

Reika looked genuinely confused as she answered in a slight daze, "You have _four_ hardsuits..." 

Sylia blushed at the realization of what Reika meant. The latter woman knew about the original Knight Sabers team, when it had been Sylia and two other women, a martial artist and an American special operatives agent. 

"Well," Sylia began to explain hesitantly, "I had to change the entire support line up. I hadn't planned on adding a member, but it was one of those things that just happened for the best of all involved." 

"Oh. Then what happened to Jill and Mei?" 

Sylia was quiet for a moment as she continued to lead Reika to small room at the other side that contained a computer terminal with a wall of screens. As she flipped switches and pressed buttons to turn everything on, she almost acted as if she hadn't heard the question. 

Finally, she answered in a soft tone, "You were right. They were hurt." 

Reika kept quiet at the news. She didn't feel vindicated by being told that her fears had come true eight years later. Jill and Mei's safety were just added reasons Reika had tried to use to make Sylia give up on her obsession. Her ultimate concern had always centered around Sylia's emotional and physical well-being. When it was clear her words were falling on deaf ears, it had become time for her to leave an insane situation before she would witness her own worst case scenario. 

"Do you ever talk to them?" Reika asked, more out of curiosity to see just how much 'hurt' was involved. 

"I sent them both letters after the Revolution, to let them know Galatea had been killed," Sylia explained as she plugged in the data pad into a port to download its contents. "Jill called me and we chatted for a bit. I think it helped her to finally get closure, and to realize that her sacrifice truly contributed to the ultimate victory. Mei never called and I haven't seen her since, but I do know the letter was received. And I do know that her bank account is still actively receiving my deposits." 

"And these new girls?" 

"They're all alive and well. And good friends of mine still." Sylia said with a reassuring smile, "It ended happily after all," 

A troubled frown was still on Reika's face as she watched at the blur of data fly over the main screen. She then took a deep breath and said, "Sylia, I really am glad you settled your matter with Galatea. And I am sorry I couldn't be there to witness it. But I do want to let you know that leaving was the only way I could support you." 

Sylia tilted her head as she studied her for a moment. She smiled softly and said, "I've always known that. But thank you for telling me." 

-- End Chapter 15 -- 


	17. 6/15 - Need to Know Basis

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 16: Need To Know Basis 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Dr. Sho Yamada couldn't help but scratch his head as he watched the stream of ones and zeros fly across his computer screen. Even after a week, he could not make any sense of the patterns, yet he couldn't deny that the information was there. 

Frustrated and bewildered, he glanced across the otherwise empty lab at Sylvie, who was stationed at a chair and table, dressed in a white smock, quietly and methodically pouring over a French newspaper, the latest test of her language recognition and comprehension skills. As the second part to her test, he would have her verbally summarize each story in Japanese, a feat she did with such accuracy and realism that he could almost forget the fact that she wasn't human. 

While Sho admitted that he was quite proud of her, a part of him had begun to question whether or not it was a good idea to implement all of the algorithms and special wiring designs of the recovered files without truly understanding the true purpose behind them. Still, he limited his scientific curiosity to enhancing only her while maintaining stricter controls on what algorithms were deployed on her three 'sisters'. And even with the enhancements, she was still a hybrid model since there wasn't enough time or need to completely upgrade or remove all of her original hardware and software. 

Sho made it a point to know everything about her so naturally he was stumped and disgruntled when he came across an unexpectedly large data file in her memory banks right after the demonstration. The one piece he was able to figure out was that this file was the data Sylvie had compiled on Reika. All of the other data files, one per person, in her person recognition directory were still relatively small compared to this new one, even her file on Sho himself, the person she had the most interactive experience with. The overall amount of memory used versus what was available was still minute, but the fact that it was that it was so relatively large and indecipherable was puzzling. 

Sho scratched his head as he thought of his future sister-in-law and how much her appearance at the demonstration had surprised him even though it shouldn't have. 

When he had first heard the news of the deaths of Richard and Mitsune Chang, he had been stricken with the normal feelings of grief, after all he liked his future in-laws, but there were undeniable feelings of panic as well. The timing was horrible due to the fact that he was so immersed in Sylvie that he didn't want to leave her at this point in her development, especially after the discovery of the old boomer design docs. Then there was the reality of becoming the new head of the Hou Bang Clan, which was an idea he wasn't thrilled about to begin with but had prepared himself to accept it down the road, with _a lot_ of preparation beforehand. 

During the brief but intense dating period with Irene, he first met Richard Chang with the awareness that he was meeting his potential father-in-law who also happened to be the CEO of a multi-national corporation. He was shocked enough to find out that his fiancée, who was the physical trainer at the local gym, also happened to come from an incredibly wealthy and prestigious family, although you would never know it given her down to earth personality and simple apartment. 

When he later proposed to Irene, she responded that she was thrilled but couldn't accept until her father approved. It was in that second fateful meeting with Richard Chang that Sho found out about the Hou Bang Clan connection. Richard explained to him the situation of the lack of a suitable successor, and that this need would be fulfilled by one of his own children with Irene. There was also the strong possibility that Sho himself would have to become the successor if Richard was unable to continue before his child was old enough to take over. That was the only condition of the marriage in order to get her father's blessing, and Sho agreed to it. 

As a boy raised in the lower class area of Tokyo, Sho was aware of the fact that some of his childhood friends had become involved with some of the local Yakuza. Even though he himself was never part of their activities, the name of the Hou Bang Clan was familiar to anyone who was remotely connected to such circles. With the reputation of being "honorable enemies", the Clan was an old-world Chinese family that was originally from Hong Kong but with the strongest presence currently in Tokyo. 

Due to his Yakuza knowledge, Sho knew that while many people regarded Hou Bang as multi-national, no one really knew how extensive or powerful the Clan was until someone tried to double cross them, intentionally or otherwise. Then that person immediately got first hand knowledge of just why Hou Bang had the fearsome reputation that they had. When circumstances required, the Clan was just as capable of breaking rules along with everyone else, but much faster and far more merciless. 

While he had his own doubts if he could ever be a competent leader of such an organization, he had even more misgivings when Reika told him and Irene that she would be permanently taking over the Clan instead. Irene was clearly shocked by the announcement as well but then asked Sho to leave so she could discuss the matter with her sister. His fiancée had that extremely displeased look on her face that he knew from experience to never question much less argue with. And since Reika seemed ready to meet that reaction with her own formidable determination, he thought it best to give the sisters as much privacy as soon as possible. One irate Chang sister was dangerous enough. 

He never found out what was specifically discussed that night between the sisters, other than that it ended with Reika still as the head of the Clan. Irene never gave him details of the fight, and he knew better than to ask. Even though Irene made it clear that she had little direct involvement or knowledge about her family's darker side, she was aware of enough of Clan business and knew when certain matters required discretion. Sho considered it a trade off for the fact that he could never discuss his work at Genom with her, even though he doubted that she truly cared either way. 

The rescheduling of the wedding was now in limbo because no one knew when the sisters would be amicable enough for Irene to want Reika to attend, as well as the latter wanting to, which was extremely ironic now that they were living in the same city once again. And when Irene told him about Reika's new engagement, which was quite shocking for obvious reasons, she did it in a tone that clearly said, "Don't ask anything further!" 

To Sho's knowledge, this was the first time the sisters had ever had an argument of this magnitude. However, no one questioned their devotion to each other. Although never exactly expressed, people understood it was just a matter of time for the hard feelings to pass. 

So he hadn't heard or seen his future sister-in-law until he saw her on the camera which showed Sylvie's visual feed at the Genom demonstration. It was just as well that he had been sitting down in the monitor booth because he was shocked at the sight of Reika, at how she clearly exuded the aura and command needed to be the head of such a powerful organization. Irene had once mentioned that her sister got into acting as a lark, but there was never any doubt about Reika's ability to be the Clan Leader. It was just the accepted fact that she wasn't interested in it so the doubt was really around whether or not she had the passion for the role. To see Reika on the monitor screen dispelled any major doubts Sho may have had, even though there was a nagging question of whether or not this was just an acting job to her. 

However, his changed opinion of Reika was eventually overshadowed by the fact that he realized Sylvie's visual attention almost never moved from her, even when she wasn't supposed to be directly facing the woman. In contrast, Sylvie's 'sisters' stared blankly into space while in stand by mode, only shifting their attention to quickly analyze and record any person or thing which moved into their field of vision, before going back to their passive status. 

The camera monitors built into Sylvie's eyes weren't precise enough to show the exact details which had Sylvie's attention but he knew there had to be a reason behind this. It couldn't be because Reika was a woman. Ms. Madigan and some of Sho's development staff were women, and Sylvie never had a similar reaction to them. 

So why was Reika's data file in Sylvie's system so large and scrambled? Was there a flaw in her programming that caused Sylvie to continue to monitor Reika as some sort of threat assessment? Could this behavior be related to the extra algorithms and design tweaks he had proactively implemented in her and not in the others? 

The scientist took in a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. When he had heard the sensational title of "Project: Human Target," Dr. Yamada was quite upset that it would give the wrong impression about Sylvie and her sisters. Now, he hoped it wasn't ironic foreshadowing. The last thing he needed was for a bodyguard boomer to attack an innocent person… Never mind the awkwardness of having to explain it to Irene, no matter how annoyed she was with her sister currently. 

Just then, Sho was alerted by the electronic chirp that indicated someone had passed the appropriate safeguards to enter the maximum high security lab. He instantly changed the computer screen to show more neutral information even though there was even less of a chance that someone else could figure out the data file when he could not. 

He immediately stood and straightened his tie to make himself presentable to his unexpected visitors. Upon seeing his two superiors walk in, he was glad he was proactive about the effort. 

"Good evening, Dr. Yamada," Mr. Rosenkreuz greeted with his usual smooth and friendly style. 

Ms. Madigan followed right behind him, pausing in her perusal of her data pad to glance at Sylvie before returning to her reading. 

"What are you having her do this time?" the CEO inquired as he came right up to the table and peered at Sylvie closely. 

The boomer continued to ignore them both as she methodically turned the pages, matching the reading pace of an average human rather than taking in the information like the high speed scanner that she could be. 

"Foreign language comprehension and conversion, Sir," he answered quickly. "She's not able to speak it because we haven't developed the speech module for French yet. But I'm really trying to test out how efficiently she processes and understands the Japanese and French vocabulary databases we've loaded into her. I've had her do a preliminary test and she's perfect. This one is much more extensive but I want to be as thorough as possible." 

"I have every confidence that she will pass!" Mr. Rosenkreuz exclaimed and then glanced around, as if noticing the emptiness of the lab for the first time. "Where are her sisters?" 

Since Sylvie had been completed earlier than planned, the three sisters were thrown together at the last minute for a display of variety at the demonstration rather than an equal test of skills. The spotlight was clearly on Sylvie as she alone performed the tests, but the sight of more boomers there was an effective showman's touch that Mr. Rosenkreuz had come up with. Now it was a matter of bringing them up to the same level of their oldest sister in preparation for future demonstrations. 

"Dr. Yuri is leading the team in the upgrade effort," Sho explained. "They're all in Lab 54." 

"Ah, good! And do we have anyone working on the first order yet?" 

"I have two of my staff compiling parts and materials. We should be ready to begin construction by the end of next week. May I ask, sir, is it wise to sell these models since we're on the verge of upgrading Sylvie so dramatically and would therefore have a much more sophisticated version available as soon as three months?" the scientist asked, referring to his approved proposal for the next version of the boomer. 

"As far as the public is concerned, Sylvie at that demonstration is the most advanced boomer _anyone_ has. As long as that standard is in place, we can take our time with a newer version. But in the meantime, give the public what they want. Speaking of which -- " Mr. Rosenkreuz then reached into his jacket pocket and produced a data pad for the scientist. " - we've just received noticed that a special client is extremely interested in this model, however, they have requested special enhancements in order to have a test demonstration before they will commit to buying. I'd like you to take an initial look at these and let me know if you think they're achievable before I give the client our answer. I honestly think they're interested even without the enhancements, but I'd like to see if we can accommodate their request." 

Intrigued, Sho took the pad and began reading. He noticed that the executives remained in the lab, clearly waiting for an immediate response to the required list. 

Sho felt his stomach tighten at the first enhancement request, and by the time he reached the end it felt like a lead weight in his gut. Individually, the enhancements weren't that noteworthy, but listed together, they definitely painted an unpleasant picture. 

"Y- Yes, these are doable with the girls, sir," the scientist reluctantly answered. "But all of these enhancements focus on making Sylvie just a paramilitary killing machine. That's not what she's created for." 

He noticed as soon as he made that comment that Mr. Rosenkreuz paused in his circling of Sylvie and Ms. Madigan looked up from her pad. 

"How interesting you should think that, Dr. Yamada," Mr. Rosenkreuz said as he scratched his beard, though still with a tone of amusement. "Sylvie is a top line combat boomer. She always has been a paramilitary killing machine. Just the same as she's a top line recreational boomer, and is therefore also a glorified sex toy. She is whatever we need her to be. And right now, the requirement is to see if we can make her fit the needs of our client. And since you have confirmed that it is doable, I will give the word to our client that we will commit to the upgrades as well as the demonstration that they deem necessary. Is there anything else you wish to add, Dr. Yamada? Besides a delivery date?" 

Even though his tone was quite cordial, there was an undeniable steel element in the CEO's words. 

"N - No, sir. We should have her prepared within a week." 

"Glad to hear that. And upgrade the other girls as well. I'll give you an additional week for them. I'd like to give the client more than what they're expecting." Mr. Rosenkreuz than turned to leave but then paused. "One more thing, Dr. Yamada, I am fully aware of who your future sister-in-law is and that you know she was at the demonstration. I want to commend you on your discretion about company business so far. And I am certain it will continue. As you know, we consider our matters to be extremely proprietary given what we do. It would be unfortunate if we ever have unexpected competition or complications from otherwise manageable sources. Don't you agree?" 

"Y - Yes, sir," the scientist responded with a stiff bow. 

"Have a good evening, Dr. Yamada," Mr. Rosenkreuz said with a parting bow. "And do continue the good work." 

-- End Chapter 16 - 


	18. 6/15 - Defeat

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 17: Defeat 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Drained and depressed, Linna remained stretched out on the futon in the privacy of her old bedroom. The clear moon was the only source of light which came in through her open window. She hadn't even bothered to take off her kimono when she collapsed on the mattress. 

The laughter and lively conversation on the other side of the farmhouse carried clearly through the night. She knew it was from the weekly party her parents threw to entertain relatives and neighbors. The noise made it easy for her to quietly slip into the house through a side door so she could retreat to her old bedroom in relative peace and quiet. By the time she originally should have come home, everyone would have been too drunk to wait up for her. 

A soft tapping came from the other side of her door. Linna definitely didn't have to be a genius to know who it was. 

"Come in," she called out, not bothering to move from her position on the futon. 

The panel slid open to reveal the silhouette of her mother, also dressed in a kimono due to the festivities. "I thought I saw your shoes out there," Nomi Yamazaki commented, the concern in her voice barely disguised. "You're back early. Why didn't you come join the party?" 

"I just wasn't in the mood for company, Mom. And I knew I would bring the festivities down, especially since I'm sure you and Dad told everyone where I was tonight. I wanted to spare you the embarrassment for at least one more evening." 

The older woman let out a soft sigh before entering the room and closing the panel behind her. She came over and knelt down on the edge of the futon, at which her daughter turned over and rested her head on her lap. "So, I take it that the date didn't go well?" 

"I realized three hours had passed and I hadn't uttered one complete sentence. I thought to myself, 'Do I honestly want to spend the rest of my life like this if I can't handle three hours?'" her daughter explained with an exasperated sigh. "And just when I was five minutes away from strangling him with my kimono sash, he blurts out that he believes in having big families and we'd have to start right away because I was so old!... So here I am. I won't be surprised if a cleaning bill is delivered because of the sake I dumped on him. I'll take care of it when it arrives." 

"Oh dear. Well, I'll find some way to explain it to your father in the morning." 

"I'm sorry, Mom. I honestly tried this time!" 

"I know you tried, dear. I knew this was different because you didn't... _protest_ as much as you normally did when we set you up on arranged dates." 

"I just feel like such a failure right now. I can't do anything right! I guess Dad's right after all!" 

"Hush! Don't talk like that!" Nomi said firmly as she stroked her daughter's short hair. "There's a lot more to this, isn't there? The last time I talked to you, you were so excited about moving back to Tokyo. Did something happen?" 

Linna was quiet for several seconds and then said, "You remember that conversation we had a few years ago, when you tried to set me up with Masaki? When I told you I had found the thing that I wanted in Tokyo, which was why I left home in the first place?" 

"...Yes?..." 

"Well, it's no longer there. In fact, it's been gone for a couple of years now, and I think it's finally sunk in. And I don't know what to do with myself anymore because of it." 

"I'm sorry to hear that," Nomi said gently. "But you'll find something else. You're young. There are still many things out there for you, especially in a town like Tokyo." 

"It sure doesn't feel like it," Linna mumbled as she kept her eyes close and enjoyed her mother's soothing touch. 

"I don't mean to sound like I'm prying, but are you sure there's nothing else that's happened? You seem more... _hurt_ for someone who is dealing with the reality of a loss that's years old." 

Linna's eyes flew open as she instinctively stiffened at the words. Then she smiled sadly and realized trying to hide things from her mother was just something that couldn't be done. 

"I... I met someone a couple of months ago," she admitted. "Someone I really, really liked. And it didn't work out. I guess it still hurts even though I can't figure out why. After all, we only saw each other a couple of times, before... this person dumped me for family obligations." 

"Oh. So do you think... this person felt the same way about you?" 

Linna bit her lip and tried to fight back the tears that started to swell up even though she had sworn to herself she wouldn't cry again. "I don't know anymore, Mom. I had met another person a couple of years ago that I thought felt the same way, but it turned out that wasn't the case. So I can't feel like I can trust my own judgment anymore when it comes to things like this. But this time, it just felt... _right_ for some reason. I've never felt this with anyone else before." 

"Well, speaking as an outsider who wasn't there, it sounds to me as if you fell in love." 

_"HUNH?!"_ Linna bolted upright to stare nose to nose at her mother in the moonlit darkness. "That can't be possible! We only got together _three_ times. _Four_ counting when I was dumped! That's not enough time for love to happen, is it?" 

Nomi smiled gently at her and said, "I'm hardly an expert on such matters, but I have heard that love shouldn't be explainable." 

Linna let out a groan and collapsed back on to her mother's lap. "It hurts too much to talk about this." 

"Alright then let me ask you this: do you think this disappointment should be your cue to give up everything you fought for and come back here and live a life that isn't one you created?" 

"I told you, Mom. The reason why I originally went to Tokyo is gone. There's really nothing there for me anymore. Other than a handful of friends... Who have very full lives without me." 

"This person you met a couple of months ago. And the person you met before. Were they... meetings you planned on?" 

"No. Both times were extremely unexpected, to say the least." 

"If you did not have another reason for being in Tokyo, would they have been worth the move there? 

"... Yes." 

Nomi smiled gently and caressed her daughter's cheek. "Then I think you should only consider coming back here if you honestly feel like you won't have another chance to meet someone else like those two... people. And since you seem to have those types of meetings only in Tokyo, I'd say you're too young to give up so soon... If you should really give up on such things at all." 

Linna was quiet as she let her mother's words sink. Instead of saying anything, she closed her eyes and nestled herself deeper into her mother's lap. 

-- End Chapter 17 - 


	19. 6/15 - Suspicious Timing

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 18: Suspicious Timing 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"-I really am glad to see you!" Irene declared as they settled themselves on one of the many benches populating the indoor shopping center that was connected the sports complex. "I was afraid that, well..." 

"I just came back from a week long visit to my parents," Linna explained as she glanced around at the well-lit and almost empty plaza since it was nearing closing time for the shops, although the gym maintained much later hours. "But I'll admit that I'd been... avoiding things up until then. I think the trip home was what I needed to lift my spirits again. It took a bad arranged date but I'm definitely better than I have been in the past couple of months." 

"Are you sure?" her friend persisted. 

"I'm better! Honest!" Linna said as she stretched out her weary limbs. "I just took my first judo class and I'm feeling great! It's like that physical release is what I've been needing for a long time. Although the bruises are something I'm going to have to get used to." 

Irene frowned to herself and muttered, "I could just kill Reika! I didn't know she had stopped seeing you until she called and told me..." She suddenly stopped and then said softly, "It's just one more mistake she's made on top of everything else." 

Linna's curiosity was in overdrive at those words but she was afraid to ask a question, to become involved in Reika's life no matter how indirectly. She did not want to be hurt again, especially over nothing. Suddenly, a mild pinch of pain went through her head and she rubbed her temples to counteract it. This small headache was probably her brain telling her to get up and leave, but she stayed. Her curiosity always had the upper hand. "It doesn't sound as if you two are getting along right now." 

"We had a huge fight shortly after our parents passed away. And we haven't had a real conversation since, other than the one time she called and told me... Well, I just see her repeating a pattern." Irene sighed and then glanced at Linna cautiously. "Did she tell you about her first girlfriend? About their break-up?" 

"No," Linna answered, her curiosity was definitely in control of her mouth now. "We didn't have an opportunity to talk about such things." 

"They were together for a long time," Irene explained. "In fact, they were childhood best friends. And even though they weren't 'out' when their relationship progressed further, it was just one of those things everyone knew, except they thought no one did. But they had one of those intense, private relationships, even when they were just friends. When it was clear they were having relationship trouble, no one knew what to do but leave them alone and let them try to sort it out on their own, or wait for Reika to ask for help. But she never did. She kept everything bottled up, even though she did once acknowledge to me that they were indeed fighting a lot, only because I kept pushing for her to admit it. Reika had been attending Tokyo University when they finally broke up, even though she's always claimed it was amicable. I don't think it was a coincidence that right afterwards she lost all interest in school and wanted to move out of the country, as she claims 'to explore the world' while she was still young and irresponsible. Dad convinced her to at least stay and finish getting her degree but it was clear she was on emotional autopilot. After graduation, she ran away to America to start an anonymous life from scratch. And she never once talked about the break-up. 

"I do love my sister dearly, but she and I are complete opposites. Even though she can seem very socially friendly, she's extremely private and doesn't make real friends. The few girlfriends she's had since then were clearly not serious relationships, at least from her perspective even though they may have thought otherwise. And it's not because she's cold-hearted; it's quite the opposite. I think she feels too much and being burned that first time was one time too many, and her way of controlling that risk is by keeping people at a distance. She's an actress because she's a natural. And her lack of success is because she doesn't have a passion for it as a career, not because she lacks talent by any means. She's so good that you can almost feel as if she believes the role she's taken on, whether it's for a couple of hours or years. So when she told me she was taking over the family business permanently, I hit the roof because she made a unilateral decision that affected both of us. 

"I don't believe she was meant to be the head of... our family business, but she's going to do everything that the role requires because that's just the way she is. When she makes a hard decision, she sticks by it no matter what. It's her own form of stubbornness. The ironic thing is that I would support her as the new head if I honestly thought it was Reika being herself, rather than taking on a role and reading from a script she's making up as she goes along. She's effectively committing emotional suicide, and I feel so helpless but at the same time I just want to shake some sense into her..." Irene finally let out a sigh and said, "I think I'm rambling all of this because I want to let you know, it'd been a long time since I've seen her as emotionally alive as she was at my party, when she met you for the first time. I just want to point out that she made her decision about you _before_ she made her decision about taking on the family business. And if anyone can talk sense into her at this point, I think it could be you." 

Linna had already felt her heart start to tighten before those final words, so she shouldn't have been surprised at the hopeful and yet painful spasm she felt. Yet the damn headache got worse. So much so that there was a chill creeping through her despite the turmoil of conflicting emotions and sensations. 

"Are you all right?" Irene asked, finally noticing the way her friend winced painfully as she anxiously rubbed her temples. 

"I - I don't think so," Linna squinted as she tried to look around the indoor plaza. "Do you see any boomers around here?" 

"Boomers?" Irene was obviously confused but looked around at her friend's request. "Um, no. Is there something I can do?" 

Linna noticed the occasional shopkeeper as they started closing for the night, but no sign of any of the metallic servants. Then she noticed four attractive women walking in their direction, each carrying a gym bag in preparation for their own workouts. Even though it was clear they were together, they weren't talking to each other, instead staring straight ahead as they moved with smooth, purposeful strides. As one, they turned and looked at Linna and Irene, and stopped in their tracks when they were fifty meters away. 

The next instant Linna felt a sharp stab of pain overwhelm her brain, causing her to cry out. The young woman then collapsed onto the floor, completely unconscious. 

"Linna!" Irene cried out as she knelt by her friend. She turned frantically to the passively watching women and yelled, "Go get some help! Please!" 

The electricity suddenly went out, dropping the plaza into complete blackness. 

_Oh shit! What else could go wrong?!_ Irene thought as she struggled to pick up Linna without tripping over herself or her friend in the darkness. 

An unmistakable hissing noise suddenly cut through the air, followed by the sound of a painful cry and a heavy object hitting the floor from across the plaza. The pattern of noises repeated itself but from different areas of the darkness. 

Irene froze. She knew too much about her family business to not recognize the sound of silencers being used, and quite effectively at that. 

She mentally flashed on Sho and started to utter a small prayer just as she felt the sharp sting of being hit in the side. 

-- End Chapter 18 -- 


	20. 6/23 - Mixed Messages

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 19: Mixed Messages 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Daley Wong tried to stifle a yawn as he followed the doctor through the quiet hospital corridor. At five a.m. he normally would be quite happily asleep, snuggled against Yuuji, or vice versa, but he couldn't ignore the beep of his pager. He regretted waking up his partner but it was a sort of payback for the times Yuuji had to fly out off to work at odd hours just because some late breaking story was going on. The one good thing was that they usually made it up to each other afterwards, which unfortunately could be days later. 

He glanced down at his data pad and almost bumped into the doctor, who had stopped at the door of the patient's room. The doctor tapped gently on the door, which was opened by a very haggard looking man in his early thirties, with a slightly portly physique and receding hairline. 

"Sir, this is Detective Wong," the doctor said, introducing the visitor. 

"Doctor, excuse me but we've already met," Daley said, bowing in greeting, "Dr. Yamada, I came as soon as I was summoned." 

"Yes, come in, Detective Wong. I wanted to wait to call you but she insisted that I page you right away," he answered sheepishly. 

"It's part of my job to be available when necessary," the detective explained. 

The three of them entered the private room to find Irene Chen looking a little dazed as she sat up, with the support of several pillows. 

"How are you feeling, Ms. Chen?" the doctor asked as he checked her eyes with his pocket light. 

She smiled weakly and answered, "Still woozy. But at least I can put together a coherent sentence now." 

"Hmm," he muttered as he checked her pulse. "As predicted, the tranquilizer seems to be clearing out of your system with no permanent damage. But I still want to keep you here through tonight for observation." 

"We'll have to talk about that later, Doctor," Irene said in a tone with a certain firmness underneath it. "That's why I wanted to talk to the Detective as soon as possible about what happened." 

The older man frowned but then bowed and said, "Since I'm in early, I do have other patients to check on. I will stop by around noon and we can discuss it then." 

He bowed and let the three of them have their privacy to discuss the matter at hand. 

"Detective... _Wong,_ is it?" Irene asked as she squinted at him. 

"Yes, ma'am. Daley Wong," he answered as he sat in the chair next to the bed while Sho took his spot beside Irene, their hands firmly clasped together. "I'm from the Neo Tech Crimes Division of the Police. It's our job to tackle cases which have been perpetrated with advanced technology and weapons. We're still in the data gathering phase to determine if it's still under our jurisdiction or if it should be handed over to the regular detective division. The case does look very straightforward but there's a couple of odd things about." 

"I see. Well, Sho told me that a lot of the details are still unknown." 

"That's what we tell the general public while we're in the first phase. But it's not too far from the truth," Daley admitted as he glanced at the data pad holding his own notes on the case. "Here are the facts as we know it: every person, either staff or visitor in both the sports complex and shopping plaza, was killed with very clean shots. Because no gunfire was heard, and the entire building had a blackout, no one knew what had happened until the power crew showed up about an hour later to deal with a cut power cable and sabotaged back-up generator. The killers were long gone by then. And you and Linna were the only survivors." 

"'Linna?'" Irene asked, picking up on the use of the first name. 

"Ms. Yamazaki is actually one of my assistant's best friends. In fact, my assistant is checking on her right now since she woke up shortly after you did." 

"But she's not hurt?" 

"No, not a scratch... Well, except for some strange bruises we're going to have to ask her about. But we did think she was a casualty at first, as well as yourself." 

Irene grimaced as she gingerly did a test touch of small bandage at her side. "I think I did more damage by almost giving myself a heart attack when the tranquilizer dart hit me. I assure you, I'm quite surprised to be alive." 

"Well, it seems you were spared intentionally. We still don't know about Linna - meaning why she was spared from being shot by either a bullet or a tranquilizer, as in your case." Daley commented grimly as he scanned his data pad and then pulled out his stylus pen. "But are you able to now give me an account of what happened before you passed out?" 

Just then, a sharp knock came from the door. The bewildered exchange of looks showed that no additional visitors were expected. Sho answered it and then jumped back in a startled surprise and bow, allowing the new person to enter. A very tired but frantic looking and casually dressed Reika entered the room. She paused in her steps when she and Irene looked at each other. 

Daley noticed how the women exchanged a tense look, but then Irene broke out into a pleased smile and motioned for Reika to come over for a hug. He noticed how pleased Sho looked as he watched the women. 

"Detective Wong, this is my sister Reika Chang," Irene introduced. "She's CEO and President of Chang Enterprises. I want her to be here for this discussion." 

So once everyone had settled themselves again, Irene began her tale, relaying the circumstances around the sudden blackout and the shooting that had started moments afterwards. Daley took copious notes but also watched the faces of the two other visitors, noticing how pale each became with every detail that was told. True, the tale was brutal, but there was something else gnawing at the back of the detective's mind that there was more to the surface of this matter, and their looks confirmed it. 

"Since the shooting spree began right after the lights went out, then it's clear that it started in the plaza area, where you were," Daley surmised as he scanned through his new and old notes. "The casualty list from the plaza have all been identified as staff or owners connected with the businesses which were closing that night. We don't have any unidentified casualties that would include these four women that you mentioned." 

"There was something creepy about them," Irene commented darkly. "They just watched when Linna passed out and didn't move or react. And the next instant the lights went out and the shooting started." 

"How is Linna?" Reika asked softly to anyone who would answer. These were the first words Daley heard her utter. 

The detective noticed how stricken she looked, as well as _her_ use of Linna's first name. "I've heard she's fine, Ms. Chang. My assistant is with her now. In fact, I was going to check in on her after I've finished interviewing Ms. Chen." 

"Reika, could you go with him?" Irene asked. "I'd go myself but I don't trust I'll be able to stand up, much less walk right now. Please, just make sure she's really all right." 

Her sister looked clearly reluctant as they exchanged a meaningful look, but then Reika's expression changed to passive resignation as she gave a nod. 

Daley pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and said, "I think the remaining question is what was the reason why you were shot with just a tranquilizer when everyone else was basically executed. The shootings happened in the dark, yet everyone was killed by marksman precision, I think we have to entertain the possibility that they knew who you are. Unless you really were just a random person they chose to be a survivor as some sort of general statement." 

Instead of answering right away, he noticed that the two sisters exchanged another look 

Reika then spoke, "Detective Wong, I have just recently taken over the leadership of our family corporation. We specialize in the business of security, and have made many powerful enemies in the process. I wouldn't be surprised if someone thought that attacking Irene, but also sparing her, would send some sort of warning statement to me and Chang Enterprises as a whole." 

"Do you think that's possible?" Daley asked the patient. 

Irene nodded. "That's why I'm not comfortable staying here for the night. And I certainly do not mean to offend the guards you've posted in the hospital. I'd just rather be transferred to our family compound while I recover and then figure out what our next steps are." 

"Well, that would explain why Irene wasn't killed. But that doesn't explain why the slaughter happened in the first place," Daley mused. 

"That last piece I couldn't begin to address," Reika admitted. "As deadly as our enemies can be, I've never heard of a 'warning' incident which involved truly innocent bystanders, meaning people who have no connection professionally or personally to my family's business. The grudges tend to be much more honorable than that." 

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sho looked extremely troubled but didn't utter a word, even though it looked like he wanted to. 

"Dr. Yamada, is there something you wish to add?" the detective coaxed. 

The man jumped a bit at being addressed, but then he adamantly shook his head. "N-Nothing at all. I'm just upset that innocent lives could be cold-heartedly slaughtered in such a way, though I admit I will never regret the fact that Irene was spared in the end." 

Daley stood and bowed to Irene. "Well, then if you have nothing else to add for the time being, Ms. Chen, I will leave you to continue with your recovery. I truly appreciate your willingness to talk to me as soon as you regained consciousness." 

"Thank you, Detective," she responded as she made a feeble attempt to return the bow. "And I do regret waking you at such an inconvenient time but I think we understand the loss of lives should put our concerns as secondary." 

He nodded. "Please contact me if you remember anything else about the event as the tranquilizer continues to wear off. Dr. Yamada, it was good to talk to you again. Ms. Chang, do you wish to accompany me to see Linna?" 

"Lead the way, Detective Wong," the woman answered with clearly polite enthusiasm. 

-- End Chapter 19 -- 


	21. 6/23 - Surprising Relations

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 20: Surprising Relations 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"I'm telling you that I'm fine! I got these bruises from my judo class!" Linna insisted as she sat on the hospital bed and waited for the other woman to finish examining her arms. 

The doctor's grim expression remained as she then checked on Linna's vision with a pen light. "Ms. Yamazaki, 'fine' people do not pass out for no reason, especially for as long as you did. I realize your medical records show you have exemplary health history and you are obviously in peak physical condition, from an observer's point of view. If anything, your background convinces me even more how important it is to do a thorough examination and find out why you passed out. I'm certain you don't want a repeat episode, especially since you live alone according to your records." 

Linna sighed to herself but she was still displeased at the examination. She hated hospitals and this wasn't helping. "What else do you want to check, Doctor?" 

"I'd like to do a brain scan. In fact I want to schedule you for one as soon as the lab opens." 

Before Linna could react, a brisk knock came from the door. 

The doctor's frown increased as she walked over to answer it. Linna couldn't see who was on the other side but it was clear the woman looked even less pleased. 

"Excuse me, ladies, but how did you get in here?" the doctor demanded. "This is far too early for visiting hours." 

"I'm Officer Nene Romanova," came the familiar voice, which caused Linna to sigh in relief. "I work with Detective Daley Wong. And this is -" 

_"Is Linna in here?! _ I demand to see her _now!" _ At those words, a frantic Sylia barged pass the doctor and entered the room, making a bee-line for the surprised patient. _"Oh darling!_ Are you all right?! I came as soon as Officer Romanova called me!" 

Linna was literally speechless as Sylia threw herself on her for a hug and a kiss right on the mouth. 

"Who are _you?!"_ the doctor demanded, obviously losing her patience and composure if the redness of her cheeks was any indication. 

Sylia broke the kiss and turned coolly to face the critical woman. She kept herself pressed against Linna, with her arms around her shoulders. "I'm Sylia Yamazaki, her life-partner! I was here last night and would have stayed but Officer Romanova told me to go home and she would keep me posted on Linna's condition." 

With her face completely flushed with red and her eyes as wide as saucers, Linna decided it was wise to keep completely quiet, which was helped by the fact that she didn't know what to say. 

"Darling, are you okay?" Sylia asked in a suddenly meaningful, intimate tone as she cupped Linna's chin to look her right in the eye. 

"I-I'm fine... d--dear." Linna managed to sputter. She was also struggling with the fact that Sylia looked so serious while uttering words that at any other time would have been said with a smirk and a giggle. Plus, it was extremely strange to see Sylia acting like the clinging, protective female. 

"Oh, I'm so glad!" Sylia said as she threw herself on Linna for another hug and kiss, which was returned more enthusiastically this time. 

Despite her own expression of embarrassment bordering into disgust, the doctor narrowed her eyes and stated, "According to Ms. Yamazaki's records, there is no reference of a 'life-partner!" 

Sylia pulled back and looked at Linna with an expression of bewilderment. "Darling, I thought you had updated your files, or did you forget again?" 

Linna's eyes managed to widen even more and she mumbled, "I - I guess I did. That's why I let you take care of those kinds of details... dear." 

Sylia turned back to the doctor and said firmly, "Look, if you have any doubts I can call our lawyer right now and get you a copy of our domestic partnership statement!" 

This offer must have convinced the doctor, or she was just tired of watching them embrace and kiss, since she gave a conceding nod although her frown remained. She then turned to the petite blonde who watched the entire exchange with wide eyes, red face and her hands firmly clasped over her mouth. 

Nene suddenly realized that there was a deeper level of suspicion as the doctor regarded her a second time, apparently wondering if she had a different connection to the domestic couple. 

"I honestly _am_ with the police!" she blurted out as she hastily pulled out her badge, which she hadn't done in her first introduction. "I just wanted to escort Ms. St - uh, Ms. Ya - I mean, _Mrs._ Yamazaki here since this is a police case as well." 

"Very well, Officer Romanova," she relented as she made some notes on her pad. "Please let me know when you, and _she,_ have finished visiting with the patient. I'm not done with my examination." 

"I'm her _wife!"_ Sylia insisted, "I'll be here with her when you continue." 

The doctor turned to leave, not making a reply. As soon as she had left, firmly closing the door behind her, the three remaining women immediately collapsed in laughter, though stifling their merriment as much as possible since they were in a hospital after all. 

"Oh my god!" Linna declared as she collapsed back on the bed with her arms over her stomach. "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if Priss was here!" 

"I need to get something to drink," Nene said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Do you guys want anything?" 

They both made their orders before the blonde left them momentarily alone. 

"Sy-" 

Linna was cut off by another kiss, one that was much more gentle. Sylia then pulled back a bit and pressed the tip of her finger on Linna's lips. 

"I need to scan for bugging devices before we can talk," she whispered into her ear. 

So Linna waited patiently as she watched a now serious Sylia walk around the room with a handheld scanner she had produced from her purse. Actually, it was an opportunity to get her heart rate down and her blush to clear, although she enjoyed the lingering feel and taste of the other woman on her lips. 

"All clear," Sylia finally declared. Then she smirked and said, "Well, I think you've improved quite a bit since last time, and you weren't a slouch to begin with." 

The blush was back. Linna cleared her throat and said, "What would you have done if she had insisted on seeing legal documents?" 

"I would have called Nigel and told him to produce the file and forge your signature. Poetic, don't you think?" Sylia answered with a full grin this time. 

Linna digested this for a bit and then said, "You honestly have those kinds of documents ready?" 

"Yes. I always believe in being prepared. And your health is my concern, especially if it's boomer related. Also, we held off contacting your parents to see if you would wake up this morning." 

"Oh, okay.... By the way, why are the police involved?" the patient asked, realizing that she had been so focused on regaining consciousness that she hadn't yet started asking questions about anything else. 

Sylia was quiet as she settled herself in the chair next to the bed, clearly choosing her words carefully. "I think we should probably wait -" 

Someone else knocked on the door from the outside but then started to open it before waiting for Sylia to get up and answer it. 

"It's me, Daley!" the voice declared through the space of the opening door. "After you, Ms. Chang." 

Reika walked into the room and stopped dead in her tracks as she stared at the first person she saw, who was an equally surprised Sylia. 

_"Reika?!"_ Linna declared in shock at the sight of the new visitor. 

Reika then looked at her with the same bewildered expression, and then back at Sylia, and then back at Linna. 

"You two know each other?!" she stated in a tone of both amazement and surprise. 

Then it clicked. _"So you_ are _Sylia's Reika!"_ Linna stated almost in triumph. 

"Wh - Wait a minute!" Reika said, finally reacting to Linna's voice and getting some of her composure back. She pointed at Sylia and said, "Is _she_ the one you had the drunk make-out session with?!" 

The surprisingly quiet Sylia just widened her eyes at the statement as Linna's face turned red yet again. 

The next sound however didn't come from within the room, but rather out in the hallway as opened canned drinks were dropped on the floor, spilling their contents. 

_"Nene, these are new shoes!"_

At the sounds which demonstrated to them that their entire interaction had been overheard, Reika immediately put her hand to her mouth in mortification, Sylia closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips to the bridge of her nose, and Linna collapsed on the bed and pulled the covers over her head. 

-- End Chapter 20 -- 

Special Author's Note: I've decided to try an experiment by using the Private Forum feature and allow for a public discussion (with occasional input from me) on this series: update notification, discuss what's currently going on, and explore ideas for future stories. Interested? Go [ here.][1]

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	22. 7/1 - Hidden Agendas

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 21: Hidden Agendas 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

One would never have guessed that there was a moment of awkwardness just seconds before by the way Sylia smoothly took command of the conversation. Of course, everyone else was blushing furiously, but that was beside the point. 

To ensure that everyone understood each of the others' connection to the situation, Sylia introduced each person to the group. In addition to his current role, Daley had been a member of the A.D. Police and an acquaintance of the Knight Sabers during the Boomer Revolution. Linna and Nene were members of the second Knight Sabers team, who had helped to bring down Galatea in the end. And Reika was Sylia's girlfriend at the time of the formation of the first Knight Sabers team. Various shocked reactions were evident, but no one made any comments. 

It was noticeable that Sylia never explained the "drunk make-out session" remark, but Nene and Daley weren't about to point that out, much to Linna's relief. 

"Reika," Sylia said as the others settled themselves for the discussion ahead, "I'd appreciate it if you'd stay for a bit. I think you have some key information which may prove critical to this case." 

The other woman looked clearly reluctant as she glanced at her watch. "I have to leave shortly to pick up someone at the airport. I've only just returned to Japan, and I came directly here to see my sister. But I can spare a few minutes." She then looked at the extremely quiet and watchful Linna and said, "Irene asked me to come see if you were all right. She was worried about you." 

Linna looked startled and answered, "I'm fine, Reika. Honest. But why is Irene in the hospital, too?" 

Cued by a look from Sylia, Daley told the group everything he knew about the slaughter, including the new testimonial Irene had provided. "Ms. Chang thinks her sister may have been a 'statement' of sorts to their family's security business, but it still leaves a mystery of why the slaughter even began. But I am beginning to think that your survival, Linna, may be the biggest anomaly about this whole case. Everyone else was killed, or knocked out as in the case of Irene, but you were left untouched." 

"I think passing out was what really saved her life," Sylia mused out loud. "A potential glitch in the programming of a killing machine as it were." 

"So you think boomers were involved in the crime?" Linna asked, "I mean, that was the worst white noise reaction I ever had." 

Sylia nodded. "Nene and Mackie were over for dinner last night. We felt it too, but only to the degree of a momentary intense spasm of pain, which is new because we never felt each other's white noise attacks before. What was also different this time was that Mackie actually sensed the white noise too. As we speak, Nigel is scanning his core for any traces or patterns we might be able to isolate and study." 

"Do you think Priss would have felt it?" Linna asked. "Even all the way in Amsterdam - if they're still there?" 

"I sent her an email asking if she noticed anything weird," Nene said. "I also copied Leon just in case. But I know neither one of them checks their messages regularly. It could be another week or two before we get a response from either of them." 

"Excuse me, but what is 'white noise'?" Reika asked, clearly confused, though knowing it was somehow boomer related. 

Sylia paused for a moment to choose her words carefully. "At the height of the Galatea crisis, the four of us found that we were mentally linked due to a by-product of the hardsuit technology, and probably triggered by Galatea's emergence. It wasn't until after the crisis that we found out we had developed an increased sensitivity to boomers whose cores were of the Post Revolution generations. That just being in their presence could cause extreme migraines and other 'mental' backlashes. Nigel and I submitted a 'fixed' design to Genom, who implemented it on all new boomers as well as upgraded the older models thinking they were doing it for energy-efficiency. Unfortunately, there are still some boomers out there who haven't been upgraded to 'white noise free' cores. And it seems these new boomers may have the same white noise flaw, one that Genom wouldn't have known existed much less how to correct it." 

"Ah. I see why you want me to stay for this conversation," Reika surmised. 

"So why do we think there are boomers connected to this crime?" Linna asked, still struggling to put together her own pieces. "I mean, apart from my passing out and all." 

"Was one of these four women who came up to you an extremely tall, Caucasian woman with long red hair?" Reika asked her. 

"Yes, I think so," she answered. 

"Then it sounds like Sylvie, all right," Reika commented. Then she took a breath and began her description of the boomer demonstration she had gone to a couple of weeks ago. 

The news of the human looking boomers obviously shocked everyone, except Sylia, of course. 

Daley scowled and commented, "If we went with the assumption that there were assassin boomers involved, then that would explain the precision marksmanship of those shots." 

Sylia nodded. "And looking as human as they do, it would make sense that they could walk out without anyone suspecting them. Or be agile enough to slip out of a side exit or window without a trace." 

"So you think this whole thing could have been some sort of product demonstration?" Daley asked, clearly disgusted by the concept. 

Sylia shrugged in a way that showed she was supporting the idea more than negating it. "Security boomers have a defensive programming base. They do not attack unless they see or detect a hostile entity. Combat boomers are programmed with an offensive agenda, but again with a limited target list, otherwise they would attack any living thing, which would negate the possibility of their owners and mechanical staff to maintain them. Let's say that these Sylvie-bots were enhanced with a new selective offensive program that had defined limitations. For this instance, they are programmed to kill all individuals within the Sports Complex and Shopping Center, in addition to special target instructions for Irene. It could stand to reason that once Linna had passed out, she was then registered as a neutralized or killed target, and therefore they left her alone." 

Linna shuddered at the thought but kept quiet. 

"It sounds very plausible," Daley muttered. "But I have absolutely no proof whatsoever to go knocking on Genom's door to start an investigation." 

"That may be so. But think of it this way, Daley," Sylia pointed out, "If it hadn't been for Linna passing out from the white noise, you would not have had conclusive proof that boomer technology was involved. The trick now is just finding evidence that can stand up in court. Otherwise, this very well could have ended up as an unsolved crime." 

"True," he said as he scanned his pad. Then he paused and pressed his glasses back a bit before regarding Reika curiously. "Ms. Chang, why didn't you say anything about the boomer demo earlier?" 

She stared at him coolly for a moment and then said, "I was one of several people at that demonstration. And there was nothing that I did or noticed which should have indicated to me that I or my family would be a special target for such a product demonstration. Nor did I have reason to suspect boomers were involved until Linna's involvement was clarified." 

A knock came from the door, interrupting the discussion. Sylia opened it to let in Kou, who had come to remind his mistress that it was time to leave. 

Reika said her goodbyes to the people she had just met, exchanged deep bows with Sylia, but then paused and regarded Linna for a moment. "Irene will probably be staying at our family compound for the next few days." She produced a business card from her pocket. "This is our private number. Please give her a call when you feel up to it." 

Linna nodded and carefully took the card. 

They exchanged a wordless look and then gave each other a slight bow before Reika finally turned to leave. 

"So what do we do now?" Nene asked, once the woman and her bodyguard had left. "It's not as if we can wander over to Genom and start looking for four boomers who look like women." 

Sylia tilted her head as she thought over an idea. "If my theory proves true, we may not have to do anything but wait for Genom to make the move." 

"What happens when they do?" Daley asked. "You'll bring out the hardsuits? Would you even have them ready in time?" 

The other two women looked noticeably intrigued as they awaited her answer. 

Sylia merely smirked and said, "That is an option that can be explored." She looked at Linna and asked, "Do you mind staying in the hospital for another night or two?" 

Linna grinned and said, "Only if we can make more hospital staff squirm." 

"I'll be here to tuck you in every night, darling," Sylia said with a smirk and a wink. 

Nene and Daley both blushed but kept quiet. 

Linna glanced at the business card she held with its elegant script and faint scent of Reika's perfume. She quietly beamed as something inside her said that things were finally going her way. 

-- End Chapter 21 -- 

Special Author's Note: I've decided to try an experiment by using the Private Forum feature and allow for a public discussion (with occasional input from me) on this series: update notification, discuss what's currently going on, and explore ideas for future stories. Interested? Go [ here.][1]

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	23. 7/1 - Opportunity For Improvement

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 22: Opportunity For Improvement 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

" - And we will certainly keep you viewers posted of any new developments on this case!" the newscaster promised earnestly into the TV camera. "Now, for the weather - ." 

Quincy clicked the off button on the remote control and tossed it onto his desk. He leaned back in his chair with a satisfied look. 

"I haven't seen such hungry news coverage since the revolution," he mused. "The lack of facts is obviously driving the press and public crazy." 

"That part of the plan went perfectly," Madison agreed. She had come into his office just in time to see this latest news blurb. Now that the TV was off, she took the opportunity to tell him the latest news. "I just spoke with Dr. Yamada. He asked for the rest of the week off, saying his fiancée is in the hospital. Just as we expected he would." 

"Did he say why she was in the hospital?" 

"No. I think Dr. Yamada received the message loud and clear." 

"Well, we still have some time to test him out. Since we conducted the trial without his knowledge, he may feel a little secure in his status as an innocent party. He may change his mind in the next few days about saying anything to the police so continue to keep an eye on him," Quincy mused. "However, I do believe he will keep quiet in the end. He knows Irene wouldn't be shot with just a tranquilizer dart the next time. And I would hate to kill him. After all, he did provide our company with valuable years of service." 

"What about our client? Have you talked to him yet?" 

"He's very pleased with the results. Especially if we can maintain the public status as an unsolved crime. And thanks to the police department's own secrecy, our client doesn't yet know about our loose end. I'm trying to figure out how to deal with that once the news becomes public. Have the police uncovered anything else?" 

Madigan shook her head as she scanned her data pad. "Not in their internal communications. They're doing the standard forensics research but we know they won't uncover anything that will lead to anything, much less back to us. Detective Wong hasn't yet filed a report but our sources confirmed that he went to the hospital this morning to interview Ms. Chen. If she points him in the path of trying to hunt down our girls, should we terminate her or him?" 

Quincy shook his head. "Spare Ms. Chen for now; she's too valuable as our leverage to keeping Dr. Yamada quiet. It was just bad timing that she happened to be down in the plaza area instead of inside of the gym as planned. However, it's not as if our girls have names and addresses they can be traced to. Just instruct the lab to change their appearances as soon as they've finished downloading all of the data from the trial. That should remove any risk of Ms. Chen being able to identify them. And keep on eye on Detective Wong. I'd be curious to see what he uncovers. Now, what about our loose end? Have you figured out who she is?" 

"Yes, her file has been transferred to your directory." 

Quincy pulled up the file on his terminal to see the picture and data flash on his screen. "She's cute. Linna Yamazaki, hmm?" 

"She works as an O.L. for Hugh Geit. She's also a member of the gym, which is obviously why she was there that night. And she is apparently a friend of Ms. Chen, given that they were talking to each other at the time of the trial's start. Her official records indicate that she's unmarried, lives by herself, and her family is in the country. However, the report submitted by Dr. Sonoda, the physician who examined her this morning, indicated a female significant other. There's nothing else noteworthy about her." 

"What's Dr. Yuri's explanation for why she's still alive?" Quincy asked as he skimmed the data. 

"Sylvie's is the only file they've been able to analyze so far. But it seems that as soon as Ms. Yamazaki passed out, Sylvie registered her as deceased and removed her from her target list. It would stand to reason that the other girls had a similar response. Sylvie's audio and video recorders didn't pick up anything unusual in the environment which would have caused such a reaction in the woman. And in pulling Ms. Yamazaki's medical files, it seems she's had a history of black outs and migraines for the past couple of years. However, she never went and received medical treatment for them so her records up until today were clean. We only know about her previous black-outs because she admitted them to Dr. Sonoda, who included the information in her medical report." 

"Has Ms. Yamazaki check out of the hospital yet?" 

"No, our contact indicated that she's staying there for at least one more night for observation." 

Quincy finished reading the file and looked at his assistant. "What are the ramifications and risks if we allow her to live?" 

Madigan mulled that over for a bit and then answered, "She could potentially reinforce Ms. Chen's assessment that our girls were involved since the recordings did show that she saw them before passing out. This could also compromise our client's wishes about making this trial as simple as possible since two living witnesses will definitely make it harder for government officials to abandon such a case. Otherwise, she's of no risk to us." 

"And if she was terminated?" 

"Depending on how it was done. If we chose the most discreet method possible, which could be helped by her personal medical condition, the police may not consider her part of the crime and therefore not investigate her further. And then our other risks are minimized all the way around, even with a surviving significant other." 

Quincy leaned back in his chair and stared out of the window at the view of Tokyo Bay. He was quiet for a moment and then said, "Notify Dr. Yuri immediately that I have a special trial I want to set up for Sylvie tonight. Just do some basic cosmetic changes in her, like her hair color or something. But I want Sylvie to take a more hands on approach to this one so I can report a positive result to our client about the whole matter, as well as impress him even further." 

"Yes, sir." 

-- End Chapter 22 -- 

Special Author's Note: I've decided to try an experiment by using the Private Forum feature and allow for a public discussion (with occasional input from me) on this series: update notification, discuss what's currently going on, and explore ideas for future stories. Interested? Go [ here.][1]

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	24. 7/1 - Critical Seconds

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 2: Hunters 

Chapter 23: Critical Seconds 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Come _on,_ Dales! Can't you give me one teeny little hint?!" Yuuji's voice pleaded from the cell phone. 

"You're crossing the line, Buddy!" Daley stated jokingly, pointing out their mutual agreement to keep their professional lives separate. The detective allowed himself a smile. Yuuji could be extremely cute when his curiosity got the better of him. "You're going to have to wait for the official press statement, just like every other good reporter." 

He snorted in response. "Dales, you can't blame me for trying. After all, this is the biggest story since the Boomer Revolution!" 

Daley was glad this wasn't a face to face conversation, as otherwise his partner would have immediately noticed his reflexive wince at the reference. Indulging in a yawn, he looked up at the brightly lit night sky and leaned against the back of the large vehicle parked in the alley way in the hospital complex. 

"Look, anything I give you now would be pure conjecture, Yuuji," Daley tried to explain. "Tabloid stuff. Now, you wouldn't want your pressman's honor tainted by such a flimsy story." 

"A story is as good as its source so that argument won't work with me," Yuuji countered. "Besides, you wouldn't go on an overnight stakeout over conjecture. You value your sleep too much for that." 

Before Daley could make an indignant retort, the mobile pit's side door flew open and Mackie stuck his head out. 

"We've got a positive reading," the anxious young 'man' reported. 

"Got to go, Sweets! Sleep tight!" Daley blurted before disconnecting the call, hitting the preprogrammed alert signal on his phone and then putting it away. 

The detective rushed inside the mini-command center to find Nigel Kirkland sitting at the terminal station, his eyes darting over the monitor screens as he tried different cameras in the hospital's security system in an attempt to find their target. His ragged mechanics jumper and long brown pony-tail easily camouflaged the technical brilliance of the man who provided critical professional and personal support to Sylia for her Knight Sabers operations. 

"The beacons we placed by the emergency room entrance went off, registering only a single signal," the technician explained. "Unfortunately, it was right at the time when a couple of ambulances arrived with several car accident victims so there's a lot of activity right now." 

Daley squinted through his glasses at the flash of images. "So that means a single person can easily get lost in the shuffle." 

"We'll find her," Nigel answered grimly, his fingers flying across the keyboard with surprising efficiency for a man who had been dead asleep on the floor moments before. 

"I already called Linna so she's getting dressed right now," Mackie announced. "Sylia and Nene should be here any minute." 

"Got her!" Nigel exclaimed triumphantly. "I'm firing up the transmission jammers in the courtyard now." 

The screen showed the view of an elevator camera that was focused on a lone woman dressed in a plain shirt and pants. It was clear her stance was very formal and straight-backed, and her attention remained focused ahead, reinforcing their perception that she may not be human. She had long blonde hair that was tied back in a braid. 

"Come on, let's get ready," Daley said to Mackie as he tossed his jacket aside and pulled on his bulletproof vest as a precaution. He then grabbed his ready sniper's rifle with the infrared site and silencer. 

The two of them jumped out of the van and ran to the edge of the alley, which opened up to the large garden courtyard that served as the heart of the hospital complex. 

A cluster of five large buildings surrounding a main courtyard in a U-shaped layout made up the complex. The single building which was at the hub of the 'U' served as the hospital's main entrance during the day time. The emergency entrance was at the back of one of the side buildings, leaving the courtyard completely empty and quiet at 2 a.m., which was perfect for what needed to happen. 

Daley used his rifle site to look for Linna's hospital room, which was in the front of the fourth floor of the building across from them. As soon as he found it, she had turned off her lights and pulled open the drape. He could see her open the window enough to sit on the ledge as she waited for her expected visitor. The young woman was clearly positioned to jump to the nearby drainpipe as her attention was focused on the door of her room. 

Daley felt himself hold his breath as they waited for those crucial seconds. Next to him, he could feel a similar tension from Mackie, as if the boomer was also holding his breath. 

Just then, everything seemed to be a blur of motion. 

Linna suddenly turned, jumping for the drainpipe and beginning her sliding descent downwards towards the ground. She had just started her slide when her would-be assassin suddenly appeared at the window to follow in pursuit. For a natural athlete, Linna's actions were unusually forced and sloppy, an indication that she was also fighting the affects of white noise. 

Sylvie lunged for the drainage pipe as well, her stance and actions showing a different intent than sliding down it. She snagged the pipe and, with her feet planted against the wall, wrenched the lifeline from its braces, a metal squeal echoing into the night. 

_"SHIT!!!"_ Daley blurted as he watched Linna, Sylvie and the twisted pipe drop to the ground. 

In a frantic attempt to brace her almost three-story fall with her arms, Linna twisted and hit the grass-covered ground sideways. She moved feebly for a bit but then became still. 

Sylvie twisted and landed on her feet with the dexterity and grace of a cat, although she obviously made a noticeable dent in the ground with a matching 'thud' sound. The long, broken drainpipe was still firmly in her grip. She then stood over her target and stared down in a momentary pause, as if determining what her next action would be. 

Daley then reacted on instinct, knowing that his actions were probably his death sentence. He fired at the back of Sylvie's head, causing her to lurch forward a bit before she immediately regained her footing and spun around in his direction. He knew the bullets wouldn't damage her, much less kill her, but he only needed to buy time by focusing her attention on him rather than the fallen Linna. 

And it worked, now that Sylvie now calmly started to walk toward him while wielding the broken pipe menacingly. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mackie run across the courtyard in a mad sprint that hopefully kept him out of Sylvie's focus yet was direct enough to get to Linna as soon as possible. 

Daley also noticed that some of the hospital rooms were starting to light up because people heard the commotion caused by Sylvie's destruction of the drainage pipe. Then, as if on cue, the courtyard lights were cut, plunging the area into deep darkness so that a casual observer wouldn't be able to easily see what was going on. Daley wondered if this was Nigel's doing. 

Meanwhile, Sylvie continued to walk toward him. 

Daley fired another shot, this time at her foot, which caused her to trip and stumble onto the grass. 

She easily got back to her feet to continue closing the hundred yards which separated them. 

Daley felt his body soak in sweat as his heart pounded wildly as he fired another shot to make her fall. 

_'Come on! Where are they?!'_ he thought frantically. 

Sylvie stood again, but paused as a distracted expression crossed her face. She then looked up at the night sky, apparently forgetting the detective for a moment. 

As if on cue, the familiar silhouettes of two hardsuits suddenly descended from the night sky. 

-- End Chapter 23 -- 

-- End Part 2 -- 

Special Author's Note: And so Part 2 is wrapped up, with three more parts for this first story, which if you hadn't noticed is now titled "Dominant Species". "BGC Post 2040 Files" references the entire universe these stories take place in. 

Now for the really bad news for you cliffhanger haters, I'm taking the month of July "off" from the series to do other things -- like work on my other anime site, attend conventions (Anime Expo and San Diego Comicon) and have a life in general. Plus, my beta reader needs a break too. I won't launch Part 3 until beginning of August. 

If you feel like you're going through Post 2040 withdrawals, well that's what the [fanfiction.net forum][1] is for. I _will_ be keeping an eye out for any postings there as well as direct emails. I will also be cleaning up the series, like correcting the fact that Linna wasn't in Okinawa but Osaka. 

Otherwise, see you in August! K ;) 

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?fanaction=userforum&RoomID=1689



	25. 8/5 - Tactical Edge

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 24: Tactical Edge 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Linna was in Osaka, not Okinawa (I knew it started with an "o"). I thought I'd change it before some purist points out where the other Hugh-Geit office was from watching the series.

Yes, I finally broke down and changed "Mackie" to "Mackey".

I won't use "Sabres" instead of "Sabers" because I'm just not British.

* * * * * * 

Sylia purposefully cleared all thoughts from her mind as the launch tube flickered with its countdown lights. As much as she wanted to indulge in the excitement of wearing her hardsuit again, she knew there was a serious matter at hand requiring as much focus as possible. Within a matter of seconds, she felt herself shoot up through the tube with the force of a bullet. The added weight on her back didn't seem to make any difference as she shot out through the opening in the roof of her home to arc over the Tokyo night sky. 

"Nene? How is it?" she asked into the comm-link in her helmet as she spied the glint of the other hardsuit up ahead of her. Because of the extended preparation coordination of the latest suit designs, still a leftover from the Galatea days, it took a little longer to don the suits. 

"It's fabulous, Sylia!" the excited voice chirped back, not at all holding back her obvious thrill. 

Sylia allowed herself a small smile at the other woman's excitement but then shifted herself into business mode as she mentally ran through all of the suit readings to make certain everything was fine. "Nigel, how do we look?" 

"Perfect," he answered over the comm-link from his position in the mobile pit. "The boomer has just reached Linna's floor. And Linna is ready at the window." 

"Good," Sylia answered as she checked her latest enhancement by touching the tips of her gloved hands together. As expected, a powerful spark of electricity crackled upon contact. "Battery pack is working fine." 

"Remember, we only had time to charge that pack to half capacity," Nigel commented on the reading she was already aware of. "Maybe two or three chances at mo - The boomer's arrived... _**Damn! Linna's down!"**_

Sylia and Nene both gasped at the news. 

Sylia felt her blood freeze as Nigel briefly explained how the boomer also jumped for the drainpipe to tear it down, causing Linna to drop almost three stories. The leader of the Knight Sabers swallowed against her building rage in order to keep focus, especially since she was arcing down to another rooftop that she needed to bounce off of. Her brain however kept processing, noting two things about this boomer: it can accommodate changing conditions of a hunt with deadly efficiency, and it is very aware of its own durability. 

"What's our ETA?" Sylia asked as she fought her own anxiousness. 

"Half a minute at most. Daley's got her attention now with his rifle. And I've cut the power to the courtyard lights because the noise is obviously getting some attention. You'll have to go to infrared when --" 

"Linna's alive but unconscious!" Mackey suddenly reported over the comm-link. "I don't dare move her because she's obviously broken some bones." 

"Mackey, prep the medical team but don't let them come into the courtyard until we've secured it!" Sylia ordered. "Nene, your priority is to protect Linna at all costs! Don't attack the boomer unless you have no choice! I want her to focus on me! Her ass is mine! Nigel, how long before Daley's back up team shows up?" 

"Five minutes at most." 

"That's all I need." 

The silence that settled on the comm-link indicated that everyone knew what they had to do; it was just a matter of waiting for their opportunities. 

Nene arrived in the courtyard first and with a light bounce jettisoned over towards the fallen Linna, brushing by Sylvie in the process. Nene placed herself right in front of Linna, readying herself for an attack, but keeping her posture in a passive mode with her arms down at her side as she stood facing the infrared silhouette of her new enemy. 

Sylvie stared at this unfamiliar figure for a moment, as if confused by its appearance as well as its unknown role in her task. She had been prepared for a direct attack and therefore didn't know what to do when the red hardsuit flew right past her. She focused on this new presence, keeping it in front of her as she quickly processed various potential scenarios, but none seemed to fit. However, this puzzle quickly became moot as she sensed an oncoming tackle from the side by a larger and clearly more powerful figure. 

The split second advantage Sylia had with the boomer was instantly lost as she saw Sylvie spin towards her. The boomer fell back against the full-body tackle but she managed to wrap her legs around Sylia's waist, as well as to snag Sylia's left wrist in a vice grip. The figures tumbled across the courtyard, crashing through the manicured bushes and raking up the grass covering. 

During the roll, Sylia felt the boomer rabbit punch into her hardsuit with her free hand, not only causing the Knight Saber to be rattled inside her suit but also a noticeable dent in the side of her torso shell. She and the assassin boomer were wrestling for dominance over Sylia's snagged hand and it seemed to be at a stalemate. 

The two of them stopped rolling with Sylia on top even though Sylvie didn't stop her punches. The Knight Saber checked her readings briefly to see that her battery pack was still there. 

Despite the rattling and the increasingly painful pressure of the dent at her rib cage, Sylia cursed to herself as she tried to remain focused on the fact that her snagged hand was helplessly inches from Sylvie's head. She needed both hands to be in contact with the boomer in order for her plan to work. And Sylvie seemed quite content with her current strategy as she kept hitting the Knight Saber's suit in the same spot, increasing the dent. Sylia hugged Sylvie so the boomer wouldn't have any leverage or room to try to go for her helmet or neck. 

At a last minute flash of inspiration, Sylia whipped back for a bit and aimed her right fist for Sylvie's head. The boomer saw the retractable sword shoot out and predictably dodged by whipping her head to the side, right into reaching distance for Sylia's snagged hand. The bluff worked and Sylia instantly retracted the blade and grabbed for the boomer's throat. 

As if a lightning bolt had struck the ground, the bath of sparks erupted in the middle of the otherwise black courtyard. And then all was still. 

* * * * * 

With her helmet visor up, a haggard Sylia watched from the dark alley as Mackey worked with the medical team to wheel Linna back into the hospital. She thought it was extremely ironic that the staff had originally been put on standby in case any innocent people were caught in the crossfire. She never imagined that they would be used to treat one of her own. 

Nene was standing quietly off to the side, still fully suited with her helmet on so that her other coworkers wouldn't be aware of who she really was, if they noticed them in the alley to begin with. 

Commanding the center of attention in the busy courtyard, Daley was giving orders to the new arrivals of police cars to search the area for any suspicious vehicles or individuals. Having always worked with her own resources, Sylia had to admit it was odd coordinating such a job with the police and hospital staff through Daley, but she was glad of the back-up precautions now that they'd proven to be valuable. Daley was careful to arrange everything without any direct mention of the Knight Sabers, telling people they were on stand by based on a lead connected to the Plaza Slaughter, which was a good enough reason for everyone. 

The leader of the Knight Sabers actually jumped a bit as a tall figure suddenly appeared beside her. 

"You and Nene should go home and change so you can come back here to watch over her," Nigel said as he looked at her carefully. "Plus, you should also have your 'dent' looked into." 

Sylia had been so distracted by everything that she had almost forgotten the sizeable mark Sylvie's punches had made into her hardsuit. But now that it was pointed out to her, the throbbing pain couldn't let itself be ignored anymore, indicating that her ribs were probably cracked. She took a breath and focused. Upon the mental command, the dent disappeared as the liquid metal shifted to repair the structure, but that didn't do anything to fix Sylia's own body. 

She tried to stifle a grimace as she asked, "What about our new guest?" 

Nigel nodded towards the waiting mobile pit, "You did a good job of blowing all of her fuses so she shouldn't be any more trouble. The scans show her main electronic systems are completely shut down so she's not emitting any tracking signals. Amazingly, her bio matter seems to have been well insulated from the charge. She's being maintained by an emergency back-up system that won't last for too much longer if I don't get her to life support soon.... Go on and go. I know you're worried about Linna." 

"Thanks, Nigel," she said softly. She gave him a gentle kiss. "For everything." 

She then lowered her helmet visor and signaled to her waiting teammate. "Nene, let's go...." 

-- End Chapter 24 -- 


	26. 8/5 - Blurred Boundaries

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 25: Blurred Boundaries 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Reika stared out the limousine window as the night sky slowly coasted by during the long drive through the countryside towards the family compound. 

It was her first really quiet moment to reflect on the frenzied marathon of events that had begun with an urgent call from her grandfather the night before. Reika had been in Hong Kong at a charity fundraising dinner when she had received the call that Irene had been admitted to the hospital in connection to a horrendous public slaughter. Needless to say, she frantically and gladly used the emergency as an excuse to immediately leave the boring event. She also allowed her fiancé to stay a little longer, providing he still returned to Tokyo as planned for another charity dinner the next night. Densuke had actually tried to insist on flying back with her but she needed the peace and quiet to focus her thoughts. Of course, she kept Kou with her, knowing he wouldn't try to engage her in distracting chit chat. 

So she came to the hospital with three intentions: to make personally certain Irene was okay, patch up any stupid differences with her sister, and to confirm the cause for this mock assassination. 

And then she heard that Linna was involved and nearly killed. 

Reika was shocked and dismayed at how much her heart felt as if it would stop for a second time in less than twelve hours. Her heart nearly stopped a third time when she found out that Linna was a Knight Saber, and that that was the reason why she was still alive. 

Everything else that had happened since then seemed like a blur. Reika forced herself to concentrate on all of the serious issues at hand, which proved almost impossible when she was in Linna's room. Despite the shocking revelations, boomer discussions and Sylia, Reika had to force herself more than once to stare at a neutral spot on the floor to keep her gaze from gravitating towards Linna. She was unnerved at how much she wanted to force everyone else out of the room just so she could have some private time with her, if only for five minutes, no matter how emotionally dangerous such interaction could be. 

Thankfully, throughout the day Reika was able to focus on business matters, such as making arrangements for Irene to stay at the Tokyo family compound, filling in her grandfather on the latest information that was exchanged in Detective Wong's interview with Irene, and initiating her own investigation into Sho and his connection to Genom. During the discussion with Irene, Reika had been carefully watching her future brother-in-law out of the corner of her eye. She had already had a lengthy discussion with her grandfather over possible motives and responsible parties for the slaughter and had come up with only weak prospects for who would have a grudge against either Chang Enterprises or Hou Bang to pull such an outrageous stunt. 

As she watched Sho's reaction, Reika's personal suspicions started to become aroused at the thought that perhaps the Chang Enterprises or Hou Bang were not the targets after all. To avoid unfairly prejudicing her grandfather against Sho, she chose to make her own inquiries. Just before she had to leave for the charity dinner, she received news that the truck driver who had hit her parents limo had died in his own car accident a month ago, a victim of a drunk driver. With that lead gone under convenient circumstances, she knew she needed to have a private discussion with Sho extremely soon. 

Reika closed her eyes and let out a weary sigh as she tried to relax. And as expected, the thought of Linna crept into her mind, which happened throughout the day whenever she tried to clear her mind of the harsh matters at hand. This time she didn't try to push the thought aside as a small sad smile curled her lips. 

Sly fingers suddenly gave her knee a gentle squeeze, daring to creep up the stylish slit in the hem of her evening dress. 

Reika frowned but didn't open her eyes. She knew right now if Kou ever found out about this, he would give her a look that would clearly say 'I told you so.' She also felt a little stupid at insisting that he sit in the front cab with the driver instead of the back with her and her escort. 

She also partially blamed Sylia since the choice of dresses was her ex's opportunity to play fashion consultant with her during their reunion visit. She trusted Sylia to choose outfits from her shop that fit the million dollar charity balls that were required attendance for a President and CEO of a prominent company. However, even though she couldn't deny the fact that the dresses Sylia chose were beautiful and stylish, there was always an underlying element of sexiness to them that made Reika a little cautious. Not that she was a prude about wearing such clothes, she just didn't want to cause unwanted attention. Still, she bought the outfits, enjoying the fun time she had with her old friend and considering the fashion chores taken care of for the moment. 

Now, she was paying the price for Sylia's mischievousness. 

"Densuke," Reika said flatly, "You know the list of acceptable forms of public displays of affection. We are not in public, and that isn't on the list." 

The hand crept up a bit higher as he growled into her ear, "I suffer the weaknesses of all men when it comes to the much fairer sex." 

"If you do not remove your hand right now I am buzzing for Kou. I don't care if we're on the expressway." 

The offending hand instantly disappeared out of fear of having each bone gleefully and slowly broken by Reika's human Rottweiler. 

Earlier in the evening, when Densuke was feeling quite merry on champagne, he grabbed Reika's rear end, causing the woman to almost jump two feet into the air even though at the time she was in a deep discussion with representative members of the charity foundation. Because of the public display, Reika could only play along with the perceived affectionate playfulness of an adoring fiancé even though she seriously wanted to strangle him, and he knew it. Her surprised reaction, however, almost triggered the watchful Kou's reflexive impulse to pull out a gun and shoot Densuke, which the bodyguard was aching to do anyway. 

Unperturbed by her annoyance, Densuke now nuzzled her neck, allowing her to smell the champagne on his breath and his cologne. At least they were both extremely expensive brands. "My beautiful fiancée, you are ever the rose with her many thorns." 

Reika would have rolled her eyes if she wasn't so tired. "I thought you got this out of your system with the serving girl, that socialite and whomever else was handy." 

"A man's appetite can't ever be satisfied with mere nibbles when the ultimate feast is always within reaching distance," he murmured as he nipped at her exposed ear. 

Reika had had enough. Opening her eyes, she put her hand on his face and pushed him back over to his side of the limousine. 

"Don't you ever tire of sounding like a cheap gigolo?" she growled once she was back on her side. 

Densuke grinned unrepentantly. In his tuxedo with the undone tie and slicked back black hair, he was devilishly handsome, and knew it. "Would it get me any further with you?" 

"Of course not." 

"Well, then why waste my best lines since I know I will have you eventually? After all, it's my part of the bargain to father your children the old fashioned way." 

Reika grimaced. In the marriage renegotiations, the "old fashioned way" for procreation purposes only was actually Densuke's surprisingly few conditions, and Reika relented. After all, she figured it was a small price to pay for a husband of extreme convenience and incredibly good lineage, the latter being why the marriage was originally arranged by their families when they were both five years old. Plus, she just felt a little weird at the thought of producing children with their father by artificial means since Densuke would have an active role in raising them, when he wasn't busy partying or chasing any nearby attractive pair of legs in a skirt. 

"Talk like that isn't going to make me rush on setting a wedding date, Densuke," she pointed out. 

"I can wait," he answered confidently. "Especially since I know what I have to look forward to. After all, you agreed to the conditions as well. Unless, of course, you plan to your act your way through our wedding night. And that works for me." 

"I plan to drink myself into oblivion so you can do whatever you want. I won't be conscious for any of it." 

Densuke frowned for the first time in the conversation. "Humph. Well, maybe I don't want to go through this after all." 

"If that's the case, then decide now before we wed. My family doesn't believe in divorces. Just mysterious accidents," she added with the kind of sly smile that made the man a little unnerved in not knowing if she was serious. 

Densuke then developed a smirk of his own and offered, "You know, it would be a shame to make such a momentous event such a burden for you. I'm perfectly willing if you want to invite one of your female -" 

_**"DON'T EVEN GO THERE!"**_ she growled dangerously, trying to hold back her immediate impulse to punch him. A broken nose wouldn't be a genetic trait that could be passed on to their future children. 

The man just grinned, knowing he had stabbed at a sore spot. 

Just then, Reika's cell phone rang in her purse, startling both of them. 

Having no idea who would call her at such an hour, and especially with good news, she pulled it out and answered cautiously, "Hello?" 

"Reika?" Sylia's voice said in an unusually anxious and tense tone. "I have an extremely urgent and enormous favor to ask of you." 

"Of course," Reika replied immediately, her own level of concern rising at her friend's desperation. "Anything I have to give is yours..." 

-- End Chapter 25 -- 


	27. 8/5 - M.I.A.

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 26: M.I.A. 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Having been up most of the night, Kate Madigan let out a weary sigh as she walked into her dark office. There was one thing left to do before she could finally go home, unless this last task provided additional work, which was very possible. Once she sat down at her desk, she took off her glasses to rub her tired eyes and indulge in a yawn. 

Before continuing with business, she paused and indulged in a moment of reflection on the two framed photos on her desk. The first one was only a month old, the latest picture of her son as he proudly posed in the full dress uniform of his military academy. The second photo was four years old, and even though it certainly wasn't the best picture, it was the most recent of her and her husband, Frederick, taken at a casual dinner party. Two weeks afterwards, Fred Sr. died suddenly of a heart attack. 

Madigan remembered that period well since it was such a turning point in her life. Her entire world had felt dumped upside down, but she was determined not to suffer any of the emotional charity and pity given to widowed mothers. Her pain was a private matter, and the world didn't need to stick its nose in to any of it. She also didn't allow Fred Jr. to milk any of the similar pity given to only sons who lose fathers early in life. In Madigan's opinion, her son had become a stronger young man for it. She knew Fred Sr. would have approved. 

And though she had always had a strong respect for Quincy, having been his executive aide for her ten year career at Genom Berlin, her appreciation for him tripled during this period, since he never lowered his expectations and standards for her job performance. In fact, he almost seemed to challenge her with tasks and seemed pleased that she fulfilled them. Even though Quincy himself was a strong family man, he also understood and accepted the harsh reality that the rest of the world didn't hold still while one overindulged in public weaknesses and vulnerabilities. He often said that humans are incredibly pompous to think they are really more civilized than animals in the jungle. 

It was also good timing that the Boomer Revolution happened shortly after Fred Sr.'s death. The Genom Tower in Tokyo was destroyed, along with key executive personnel. Since it was the international headquarters, it was natural that the facilities be rebuilt and that Quincy would be the successor to replace his grandfather as head of the corporation. When Quincy told Madigan of the news that he would indeed relocate to Tokyo, he also asked her to relocate with him and continue her role as his executive aide. Madigan immediately accepted the offer, knowing that leaving the country would also be a chance to start her emotional life over with new challenges, especially since her son lived at the military academy and therefore she didn't feel held back with raising obligations for him. Even with this new chapter in her life, however, she would never give up Fred Sr., quite content in the knowledge that she had had the best husband and father possible and that anyone else would be a poor replacement. 

With a deep sigh, Madigan finally turned her attention from the photos to the task at hand as she picked up her datapad. She then hit the buttons of her speakerphone to dial the phone number she had memorized, though rarely used. 

Three rings passed before Quincy answered the line in an expectedly tired sounding voice for three o'clock in the morning call, "Hello?" 

"Sir, it's Madigan. We had an unexpected turn of events." 

There was a brief moment of silence before he answered in a much more alert tone, "Where are you calling from?" 

"My office, Sir." 

"Give me five minutes to call you back," he said, clearly not wanting to disturb his wife any more than was necessary. 

"Yes, Sir." 

So Madigan waited, feeling her personal sense of dread increase with each passing second. She had no personal tolerance for failure, and she knew Quincy had the same high standard. Still, what was done was done, and it was only a matter of moving forward. 

Four minutes later, according to her desk clock, her phone rang. 

"What happened?" Quincy immediately demanded in a low and clearly not happy tone. 

"We're not quite certain, Sir," she answered, feeling herself wanting to squirm and fighting every instinct against it. "Everything progressed as planned with the deployment of Sylvie to the hospital. However, once she reached Yamazaki's room, her transmission feed went dead." 

"What?!" he blurted in a clearly frank reaction. "How is that possible?" 

Madigan grimaced, expecting the question. "Some transmission jamming device is the only thing we could conclude given how abrupt it was. And when we went to satellite monitoring, we found our network links to our satellites went down five minutes before. There is a separate team that has been trying to troubleshoot the matter and they're still not able to get a link established." 

"And Sylvie?" 

"We don't know yet, Sir. At the same time she stopped transmitting, our monitors tracking her vitals and location also stopped registering anything. I had a car dispatched to the hospital to do an onsite visual assessment. We have also been monitoring both the hospital communications as well as the police. Both networks confirm some sort of destructive and noisy disturbance but no clear details have surfaced yet. The dispatched team confirmed that there is a lot of activity at the hospital, including clear damage to some of the courtyard grounds as well as to the drainpipe next to Yamazaki's window. But there is no sign of Sylvie. At all. And none of the police transmissions indicate any awareness of her even though they're searching the hospital grounds for the cause of the disturbance. Even our police sources confirm that she's not in their custody." 

Quincy was quiet for a long time before stating out loud, _**"How is it possible to lose a boomer like that?!"**_

While Madigan knew this was a question which bordered on the rhetorical, she wasn't quite confident in how she should answer, sensing the accurate signs of her boss's growing but still retained temper. "We're putting together a van of tracking equipment which should be ready within half an hour. We plan to have it search the hospital grounds and nearby neighborhood to see if we can pick up any boomer-type signals that Sylvie would emit." 

"Do that. Dispatch as many vans as you need to comb the city if she's not found by daybreak," he said with a fierce determination. "And first thing in the morning, I want a team assigned to research _**ANY**_ possible technology that is capable of defeating and retaining a boomer, plus any connections to who would have such technology. Someone managed to make complete and absolute fools of us! And I will not tolerate that! -- Madigan, once you've made all of the arrangements, go home and get some sleep. I don't plan to see you until after lunch at the earliest. I need you in top condition for this!" 

"Yes, Sir." 

She noticed that he hung up before she had completed her reply. Madigan finally let herself relax in her chair as she felt all of the tension start to release. It wasn't as bad as she feared, but it still wasn't the best. 

She then picked up the phone to make more calls. 

* * * * * 

Quincy Rosenkreuz III stood in his private office at home and poured himself a glass of scotch with white-knuckled and shaky hands. He downed the glass in one gulp and then threw the thick container at his heavy oak desk, causing shards and wood splinters to fly upon impact. He followed up with a couple more throws of full decanters, leaving a mess of alcohol, glass and oak chips. 

He then took a calming breath and smoothed back his hair and straightened his bathrobe. He emerged from his study to find half of his newly-awakened staff approaching in alarm. 

"Sorry for waking all of you," he said with genuine sincerity. "Mr. Hino, make certain the mess is cleaned up in the morning. Now all of you go back to sleep." 

The head servant bowed in acknowledgement as the onlookers made their way back to their respective rooms. 

Quincy began his own walk back to his bedroom to find his alarmed wife Iris standing at their doorway. 

"I'm sorry, Love," he said as he took her into his arms for a reassuring hug. "Just business matters. Nothing that concerns you." 

-- End Chapter 26 -- 


	28. 8/5 - Shelter

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 27: Shelter 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Thank you so much for this, Mrs. Takeuchi," a casually dressed Reika said as she watched her former nanny check the portable medical monitors. 

"Oh, don't worry about it, Miss Reika," the good-natured, elderly woman commented as she scanned the read-outs. "It's not as if we haven't done something like this before." 

An also casually dressed Sylia stood quietly off to the side, her eyes never leaving the still figure lying in the middle of the fully equipped medical bed in an otherwise elegantly furnished room. Upon looking at her, few people would realize that Sylia had had only three hours of sleep the entire night, and that the sun would be rising in an hour. 

"What's your personal opinion of her status?" Reika asked, her anxiety showing despite her attempt to sound casual. The tension she had been feeling since the fateful phone call from Sylia didn't seem to be ebbing at all. 

"She's clearly a tough one. You can tell that without even having to look at her records," the woman honestly assured her mistress. "Her signs are all strong after coming through such extensive and delicate surgery with flying colors. I don't see why she won't make a complete recovery if she's allowed to focus on resting as well as getting physical therapy as soon as she's able. How long will she be staying?" 

"As long as she needs to," Reika answered immediately. 

Sylia arched an eyebrow but said nothing. 

"Well then," Mrs. Takeuchi said with a friendly smile, "I will make certain the staff treats her like family for as long as she's here. - And speaking of family, Miss Sylia, I'm pleased you're here. I was afraid I'd never see you again." 

Sylia bowed in acknowledgement and said, "The pleasure is entirely mutual, Mrs. Takeuchi. I'm glad you'll be personally overseeing Linna's recovery. Reika is housing her as a personal favor to me." 

Reika looked as if she was going to say something but stopped. 

Seeing that her mistress had decided not to comment, Mrs. Takeuchi instead said, "Well, I certainly hope to see more of you, especially under more pleasant circumstances. With you around, and Miss Irene staying here temporarily, we're hoping that we'll see Miss Reika genuinely smile again." 

Both women blushed but said nothing. 

"Now scoot, both of you, and get some sleep!" the elderly woman ordered. "There's nothing more you can do for Miss Linna other than wait for her to wake up when she's ready to." 

* * * * * 

"Reika, thank you for this," Sylia said softly once they were alone in the dimly lit hallway. 

"There's nothing to thank me for," she said firmly. "Linna is your friend as well as Irene's." 

Sylia tilted her head curiously and said, "Well, I have a good idea of what you mean to Linna. What does she mean to you, beyond being a friend of a friend?" 

Reika lowered her gaze for a moment and then said, "I want her to be happy. I'm just sorry I'm not the one who can do that for her." 

Sylia studied her for a moment and then decided to let it pass. She looked as if she was about to stretch into a yawn, but then winced and stopped herself in mid-motion, pressing her hand gingerly against her side. "I should be heading home." 

"Not just yet, you aren't," her friend said with a frown. "I've prepared a guest room for you. It would take at least an hour before you would be in your own bed, and you're in no condition to drive as it is. I don't even want to know how you managed to drive here to begin with." 

"I'll be fine!" Sylia insisted even though there was a smirk on her lips. 

Reika narrowed her gaze and said, "Try bluffing someone who doesn't know your version of 'looks like crap'!" 

Sylia opened her mouth to protest but Reika stopped her with a look. 

"Just for a couple of hours at least," her hostess insisted. "I don't want to set up _** two**_ hospital beds in my home!" 

Sylia hesitated, clearly wanting to argue, but then she saw how Reika firmly put her hands on her hips with the readiness of a determined bulldog. She thought to herself how some things definitely have not changed over time. 

Finally, Sylia let out a soft sigh and chuckle as she wearily leaned forward and pressed her head against Reika's shoulder. "Okay, you win. Lead the way." 

Reika indulged in a yawn of her own as she lead the passive Sylia by the hand down the hallway. "It's your old guest room. The bathroom is also prepared in case you want to freshen up at some point." 

"Hm mm," Sylia answered sleepily now that she allowed herself to start shutting down for the night. "By the way, where's the lucky man?" 

"Sleeping off a bottle of champagne in another guest room down the hallway. If he's true to form, he won't grace anyone with his presence until sunset. And I'm sure he'll immediately vacate to his apartment downtown since he knows Irene's staying here." 

"He doesn't live here?" 

"Of course not. We're not married yet. I'm an old-fashioned girl after all," Reika answered with a smirk. 

"Oh. Right. I forgot about that." 

Definitely feeling like the clock had turned back years, Reika easily guided the completely pliable Sylia to the room, helped her out of her clothes and tucked her into the bed. Even though it was an old routine when Sylia would overwork herself from late nights of studying or planning, the noticeable difference this time being the lack of any romantic caresses or playfulness which usually led to things other than sleep. 

Reika noticed but didn't comment on the bandages wrapped around Sylia's rib cage although she allowed herself a grim frown. She was about to turn off the light on the nightstand when Sylia gently snagged her hand. 

"Are you honestly okay with everything that happened tonight?" Sylia asked even though she was clearly fighting the urge to fall asleep. 

Reika paused and sighed. She sat down on the edge of the bed as their hands remained firmly locked. "I have so many mixed emotions right now, long before the news of Linna's accident. I admit a part of me wants to strangle you for not giving this up once and for all even though I suppose it couldn't be helped. But I think my relief about Linna overrides everything else I'm feeling right now." 

Appearing a bit more awake for the moment, Sylia narrowed her eyes at her and said, "You really care about her, don't you?" 

Reika smiled sadly and said, "Well, if I read your expressions correctly, so do you...." 

The other woman was quiet for a moment and then returned the sad smile. "She needs someone to take care of her. And apparently neither one of us can be that person." 

Though still fully dressed, Reika wearily stretched out on the covers and said towards the ceiling, "You know, there was a time I was incredibly jealous of the fact that you never asked me to become a Knight Saber." 

"I had my reasons." Sylia rolled over to snuggle against her, putting her head on the familiar shoulder. She smiled as she felt the slender arm carefully encircle her back. "Knowing what I expected of the team at the time, I didn't think that you had it in you to kill if push came to shove. If you did, I didn't want to be the reason why... And there was the fact that you didn't consider yourself to be much of an athlete. You had no fighting skills. Plus, your fear of heights-" 

"I did say it was a _**momentary**_ jealousy!" Reika growled playfully as she squeezed Sylia's shoulders to shut her up. 

Sylia then lifted her head and looked at her seriously before saying, "The biggest reason that I refused to ask you to become a Knight Saber was that if you couldn't bear to see me put myself in danger, did you think I could handle it any better if _**I**_ did that to _**you?**_ If that was you where Linna is now, I don't think I could have continued with the Knight Sabers." 

"How ironic given that's what I wanted all along," Reika admitted softly as she rubbed Sylia's arm. "How did Linna become a Knight Saber?" 

Letting out a yawn and nuzzling the smooth neck before her, a habit from days gone by, Sylia answered, "She came to Tokyo and sought us ought. I had a hunch that she was a perfect addition to the new team. I would have been stupid to turn her away... Not to say that I haven't done stupid things before." 

Reika didn't quite know how to respond to that comment. Then she felt the undeniable relaxation in Sylia's body as the other woman drifted to sleep while pressed against her. Aware that she was the woman's pillow, Reika knew that she would wake her up if she tried to move so she could leave. And admittedly, there was a strong part of her that didn't want to go as she felt a certain peace settle over herself as well. 

With a small smile, Reika carefully reached over and turned off the lights before allowing herself to drift off into the best sleep she had in years. 

-- End Chapter 27 -- 


	29. 8/21 - Family Matters

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 28: Family Matters 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Reika stood by the window and looked out over the grounds of her family home. Tucked away in the country-side, the Chang Compound was a self-contained complex, surrounded by aesthetically pleasing stone walls and a thick forest that were centuries old. This was Reika's home during her childhood and during breaks in her years at private school. 

When she had attended Tokyo University, she had stayed with Sylia up until their break up. She finished out the rest of her college years in a private apartment that then became Irene's when the elder sister relocated to the U.S. 

Reika thought it was interesting that when she moved back home permanently nothing about the place itself felt different even though she now had the perspective of being the new Mistress of the House. Now she knew all of the secrets of the buildings and rooms that had been forbidden and relatively uninteresting as a child. With that knowledge, as well as a continually growing understanding of the true power of the Hou Bang Clan, more and more she knew her only life choice was to be the best leader she could. Failure was not an option. 

A soft tapping at the doorframe showed that her late morning appointment was here. 

She turned to find an unsure Sho standing in the open doorway. She greeted him with a warm smile and motioned for him to come in. "Welcome, Sho. I'm glad you were able to make it here on such short notice." 

The young man took a step in. "Thank you for arranging this discussion. Irene wanted me to tell you that she's checking on Linna right now and will be a few minutes late." 

"Oh," Reika said, knowing that Linna was still unconscious which meant that her sister was actually in discussion with Mrs. Takeuchi, and she had a creeping suspicion that she knew about what. "Well, I'm glad you're a little early because I wanted to have a private discussion with you. I know if Irene found out I had especially asked for private time, neither of us would be able to survive her curiosity." 

Taking the cue about privacy, Sho closed the door and chuckled. "True, she was never good about being kept out of the loop unless she proactively chose to do so." 

His future sister-in-law smiled and said, "It seems you know my sister quite well. I think that's an extremely good sign. Please sit down." 

His nervousness quite evident, Sho sat down in one of the two chairs before the desk while Reika sat on the other side. "What do you wish to talk about?" 

"The Plaza Slaughter," she said simply, noticing how he paled and dropped his gaze. "When I first heard about it, I naturally assumed it might have something to do with Hou Bang, or at the very least Chang Enterprises. But the more I think about it, the more that doesn't seem quite right. If I am convinced of anything at this point, it is definitely that Irene was spared for a very distinct reason, as a message of sorts. I know you work for a top secret division for Genom, which has some dark shadows as far as the boomer technology world is concerned. Was that message meant for you?" 

Sho wasn't able to bring his gaze up from the spot on the carpet. When he spoke though, his voice was surprisingly firm, "Reika, I would never, ever willingly endanger Irene. She means the world to me. If it means that I must choose between my professional passions and her, she would always come first. That's all my honor will allow me to say. I ask you to be satisfied with that." 

Reika stared at him, studying his composure and absorbing his statements. "I have one more question: do you think this matter has anything to do with my parents' deaths?" 

The man looked up in genuine surprise and shock. "I-I honestly never thought there could be a connection. I truly believe your parents died in a real accident." 

She sighed and said with a sad smile, "I consider this matter closed between us for as long as you stick by your promise that Irene will always come first." 

"I do." 

"Then that's good enough for me, Sho. Welcome to the family." 

The man looked clearly relieved by the deep breath he let out and the hopeful glance he gave her. 

She smiled at him reassuringly. 

Just then, a soft knocking came from the closed door. 

Sho happily jumped to his feet and let in his fiancée. 

Reika noticed how tired and haggard Irene looked as she sat down in the spare chair, as if the younger woman had had very poor sleep the night before. In their extremely brief conversation yesterday to confirm that Irene was indeed moving back home temporarily, Reika had a sense that even though her sister said she was "fine", she was a lot more shaken up about the events than she was letting on. She had never seen her sister be so unnerved and cautious, something that she was clearly hiding from the public. 

She also noticed the momentary sharp look her sister gave her that indicated that they had private matters that needed to be discussed. 

"I wanted to have this meeting because even though I am trying to help uncover the madness behind the Plaza Slaughter, I realized that there may be some things you two want to discuss in regards to your safety for the time being," Reika explained. "Am I wrong?" 

"No, that's true," Irene said softly. She reached over and gripped Sho's hand. "Sho and I had a long talk last night about how we felt about everything that's happened, and what our options are for going forward. We've decided that perhaps this would be a good time to move out of the country, at least until things settle down. Although I admit I don't know if I would ever feel comfortable and safe enough to move back to Tokyo permanently." 

Reika was definitely surprised by the news, given that Irene had always been the self-proclaimed "Tokyo girl." It was an indication that her sister was extremely shaken up by the near death experience. 

"I see. Any idea of where?" 

"That's where we thought you could help us," Irene answered. She gave Sho a prompting look. 

Taking the cue to speak, Sho said, "I am… very disillusioned with my career choice right now and am looking to start over in a new field, related to scientific research, preferably related to electronics. We didn't know if you were aware of any part of Chang Enterprises, or its subsidiaries, which could offer such a chance for someone like me." 

"Ah. Well, when my father died, he had been in the process of acquiring Perry Electronics," Reika said. "After I took over, I made certain the deal was secured, but I admit I hadn't yet given any thought to what we were going to do with the company. I do know my father's intent was to let you take over its research facilities as a wedding present. Once you were in charge, you could continue to support their current projects or determine a different focus. I don't see any reason why we can't go forward with my father's plan. It would please him if we did. Would you still be interested?" 

Sho seemed hopeful at her words. "I would appreciate such an opportunity. But if I remember correctly from what your father had said, they don't have a headquarters in Tokyo." 

"That is correct. They're originally a British company, with their international headquarters in London and an Asia-Australian headquarters in Melbourne. I think Father had planned to either relocate the Melbourne headquarters to Tokyo, or just create a new one. If you two decide to relocate to either place, that would save us that final step." 

Sho looked questioningly at Irene, who smiled and nodded. 

"I like that idea," she said to both of them. "I admit I would have a preference for London. It would be a chance to get to know that side of our family, as well as an opportunity to brush up on my English." 

Reika smiled and said, "Make certain you brush up _**before**_ you call our relatives. Is there anything else I can offer to help with the relocation? I can assign some aides to help with your move, as well as private language tutoring if you feel it's necessary. We have an extremely good staff for language teaching. I use them myself to pass the time on my plane trips." 

"I could use the help," Sho admitted. 

"I think we could use all of the assistance we can to make this happen as soon as possible," Irene said, which her fiancé agreed to. "I would rather use my own inheritance since it's there for a reason." 

Reika nodded. "All I ask though is that you still hold the wedding here in Tokyo, once you've settled and this sordid matter is finally put to rest, which will hopefully be sooner rather than later." 

The engaged couple readily agreed. 

"Then I will make the phone calls right now, unless there's something else you wish to discuss?" Reika threw it out as a general statement even though she was looking right at her sister. 

"Yes, I would like to talk to you for a moment," Irene said. "Sho, can you leave us alone for a bit? Let Mrs. Takeuchi know we're definitely staying for lunch." 

His concerned returned as he looked back and forth between the sisters. 

"I promise no yelling this time!" Irene said with a smile, realizing his concern. She gave him a peck on the cheek. "Just need to settle some matters with Reika, that's all." 

He looked relieved as he bowed and went off on his errand. 

Once they were alone, the two sisters looked at each other for a moment. 

"Where do you want to start?" Reika asked, having a good idea of the one or two issues that would be of immediate interest to her sister. 

Irene's grim statement returned. "Mrs. Takeuchi assures me that Linna's going to make a full recovery. Do you believe her?" 

"I have no reason not to," Reika admitted. "I guarantee she will get the best care possible." 

"Mrs. Takeuchi also said that she fell from a third floor building. Was it an assassination attempt?" 

"…Yes," her sister said, knowing better than trying to hide the truth that would come up eventually. "That's why we're keeping her here during her recovery. She's officially under police protection as far as her work and the general public is concerned, Her parents aren't even allowed to know she's here, even though they do know the extent of her injuries because I called them myself this morning." 

"Well, once she recovers, what then? Will she still have to hide?" 

Reika glanced at her Clan ring, a habit she realized that she picked up from her father. "The positive part of her needing such a lengthy recovery time is that it means I have that much more time to bring this whole matter to closure. By the time she will be ready to resume her regular life, she won't need to hide anymore. And if Hugh-Geit won't hold her job for her that long, then I'll make certain she'll find employment through Chang Enterprises, if it has to come to that. At least, that's the plan for now." 

Irene nodded, taking in her sister's explanation. But it was clear she was trying to figure out how to address another burning question on her mind. She finally took a deep breath and said, "Mrs. Takeuchi also said Linna's actually here because she's a friend of Sylia's. And it was noted that Sylia stayed here for a few hours in one of the guest rooms…. I came by your room early this morning in the hopes to talk to you, but you weren't there. Were you with Sylia?" 

Reika let out a sigh and said, "Yes, I was, and _**no,**_ we didn't _**do**_ anything. She and I decided to try being friends again now that I've moved back to Tokyo, and it's actually working out very well. It's just an extreme coincidence that she happens to be a good friend of Linna's as well. Sylia asked me to house Linna only because she knew that we had the equipment and staff to take care of her, and that I wouldn't personally mind." 

"I see," Irene said softly, her tone and statement resigned. "Then the only thing I have to say to you is that I'm sorry for doubting your ability to be the Head of the Family. After what happened, I realized there is so much more to our family that Dad probably sheltered us from, which you're starting to see. And I would personally like to continue to be ignorant. Still, instead of my criticism and doubt, I should have supported you from the beginning. Mrs. Takeuchi tells me that everyone is confident that you're on the path to success, and they're all proud of you. And we all believe Dad and Mom are." 

Reika didn't say anything but she was amazed, since she hadn't known this perception existed. She was surprised at how pleased she felt and it showed in a shy smile as she said, "Thank you for that." 

Irene then broke out into a smile and said, "I will add one thing though: I will never forgive you, knowing you'll bring that jerk to my wedding." 

Reika chuckled and said, "Just promise me you won't knock out his front teeth again. Remember that we're not kids anymore. These won't grow back." 

"Only if he behaves himself," she said with a scowl. 

"Kou will be there to ensure it, even if I don't expressly say anything for him to do so." 

The sisters shared a giggle before Irene looked at her seriously again. 

"I do have one final needle I want to poke at you, Reika," she said softly. "Even though Dad made certain the Clan Life had as little impact to us as possible, I do believe that he truly loved us. And he loved Mom. I never got the feeling he was ever truly unhappy even though he had an incredible burden on his shoulders. I'd hate for you to live a life of less quality." 

Reika gave the words a nod of acknowledgement. "Thank you for your concern, Irene. But Dad wasn't a woman, nor was he gay." 

"True," her sister conceded. "I guess I'm just too much of a romantic to think things have to be like this for you." 

Reika took her into a hug and said, "I assure you that I'm learning to take my moments of happiness when I can. The opportunity to take care of Linna is one of those." 

Irene hugged her back fiercely and said, "Then just promise me you'll get closure on this mess. I don't care about the details of how it's done, just do it. I'll trust you when you tell me the matter is settled." 

"I promise." 

Then a thought passed across Irene's mind, causing her to stiffen a bit. "There's also something I think you should know. I don't know if it'll make a difference, but I never had the chance to tell Linna about Densuke. And I noticed you weren't wearing your engagement ring at the hospital. I don't think she has a clue." 

Reika's eyes got wide as she froze herself. "…Oh…" 

-- End Chapter 28 -- 


	30. 8/21 - Invisible Chains

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 29: Invisible Chains 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"There's no doubt about it," Nigel mused as he manually navigated the giant x-ray scanner over the boomer's torso. "It's definitely your father's design. The more sophisticated parts, anyway." 

Standing nearby, Sylia's frown deepened more as she critically watched the intricate network of wires and components show up on the monitor. She then glanced up at the command booth overlooking the giant pit bay. "Nene, is this recording?" 

The blond nodded through the window and said into the speakerphone, "I've tested the playback and it's being captured." 

Mackey meanwhile was sitting next to his girlfriend and watching the monitors over her shoulder. 

"You can tell that she started off a lot less sophisticated than where she is now," Nigel mused as he kept an eye on his scanner readings. "But even her base is pretty sophisticated by standards for pre-Revolution models. Whoever spearheaded her design and implementation knew what he or she was doing." 

"What about the pieces that look they were directly from my father's design work?" Sylia asked, now looking at the boomer's body stretched out on the worktable. 

In her shutdown state, Sylvie was completely still and staring blankly at the ceiling, looking like a dead body. She was still dressed in her casual outfit, which was dirty and torn in some places, and her hair was still bound in its ponytail although definitely not as neatly as before the fight. Some patches of her skin had been torn and cracked from the fight that early morning but they were minor cosmetic flaws in an otherwise perfect appearing woman. The only other thing which appeared unusual were the cables plugged into the adapter holes in the small, open panel on neck in order to keep her internal bio matter alive. 

Sylia looked forward to pulling the plugs permanently once all of the necessary information had been retrieved. 

"From what I can see right now," Nigel remarked, "Whoever implemented your father's design didn't completely know what he or she was doing, even though they probably had a good idea. There are some distinct pieces missing that will keep some of the added components from functioning at their full capacity. But they do have a lot of the important parts there; they just need to be tweaked a bit and fully connected." 

"Then you think they were trying to develop a boomer which would match the sophistication level of Galatea?" Sylia asked, more than a little unnerved by the prospect. 

"Obviously I can't tell if they were necessarily using her as the benchmark, but I'd say they're 75 percent there in terms of basic appearances and functionality, even with embedded components which make up the combat and recreational functionalities. They'd be up to 80 or even 85 percent if everything was hooked up properly." 

Sylia clenched her fist and struggled to keep from slamming it through the monitor. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt calmer, barely, but her frustration remained. _**"Where did they get that information?!**_ I personally swept through their entire network of databases and made sure all references to Galatea and myself were removed!" 

Nigel frowned himself as he tried to think of how the information could have been uncovered. "Genom is good at keeping secrets from parts of itself. I wouldn't be surprised if there are independent networks to house such information, ones that you wouldn't have had access to unless you knew exactly where to look, if they're even externally accessible." 

Sylia didn't like that answer but it probably had a lot of truth to it. "Nene, have you uncovered anything in your last sweep?" 

"Nothing so far," the blonde's voice reported through the speaker. "There's no mention of this boomer or Project: Human Target anywhere. However, I did find something referring to a Data Recovery Project for the Tokyo Databases that were destroyed during the Galatea crisis. And that they found some files a few months ago that were apparently valuable but it wasn't documented as to exactly what was in them. Genom's concept of Top Secret puts a lot of governments to shame." 

Sylia shook her head adamantly. "I swept through that data too and made certain the information was unsalvageable. I even went through their back-up databases in Berlin and New York," Sylia insisted as she hugged herself, taking extra care to gingerly avoid the injured side of her rib cage. "Galatea and I should not exist anymore as far as Genom is concerned." 

Nigel noticed her careful movements out of the corner of his eye but said nothing as he continued to pilot the scanner. "Well, it's possible they could have found someone who was extremely knowledgeable about the project and is still alive. But I can't think of anyone who fits that last part - besides me, of course. And if your sweep got rid of all documentation, that person would have to produce the design specs from memory, which would be impossible." 

"Sylia, what about me?" Mackey asked through the microphone. "Did you do a file sweep for references to me?" 

Sylia took in his question with a stunned silence that was emphasized by the embarrassed blush on her cheeks. She then leaned wearily against the table as she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "Of all things..." she murmured to herself. 

Nigel gave her a brief look before returning his attention to scanning, while Mackey let out a deep sigh. 

Confused by the pause in the conversation, Nene frowned and looked at everyone. "So are we saying that Sylvie is actually based off of Mackey's design and _**not**_ Galatea?" 

"Now that I'm looking at it from that angle," Nigel admitted, "There are some components and wiring specs in her core structure that we had considered to be superficial and unnecessary that we identified in Mackey and therefore purposefully cut from our design of Galatea. We considered them to be 'too human.' I am seeing some traces of those in Sylvie." 

Sylia looked wide-eyed and pale, but she kept quiet. 

"So there's a chance she's really sentient?" Mackey asked into the microphone. 

Sylia and Nigel paused and exchanged a look. The man gave a slight shrug. 

"Well, we are going to have to turn her on to be able to download all of her programming and data information," Sylia remarked. "We'll find out if she's truly sentient then." 

"Will that change your plans to destroy her after we're done?" Nigel asked softly to purposefully keep their conversation out of hearing range from the couple in the booth. 

A flash of deep anger appeared on Sylia's face as she regarded the boomer. "She tried to kill Linna! If she had been human, I would have destroyed her on the spot," Sylia answered firmly. "Being a boomer only saved her life for as long as it takes to get information to help solve this Plaza Slaughter. The bottom line is she's an accomplice or she's evidence!" 

"But if she was programmed to do it, then it wasn't her fault!" Mackey's voice blurted over the speaker, causing them both to jump. His boomer enhanced hearing apparently picked up the part of the conversation that Nene missed. "She can't be held accountable for obeying orders that were programmed into her! It's just like when Galatea controlled me and you knew I couldn't help what I did!" 

Sylia slammed her hand on the nearby tabletop, rattling the monitor on top of it as well as leaving a dent in the metal surface. Mackey and Nene jumped as Nigel merely arched his eyebrow. 

"Mackey, just because she's potentially sentient doesn't mean she's going to be a good guy!" she shouted, her rage fighting to be completely unleashed. "There are bad boomers in the world, just as there are bad people!" 

"Yes, but you don't know that about her yet, do you?" her brother countered firmly. "If she was human and she operated under a post-hypnotic suggestion, would you still execute her?" 

"If she was still a threat and there was no way to cure her, I would!" she declared. "Besides, if we turn Sylvie on and find out she's truly sentient, what then? Let her walk out the door with a full suitcase and a handful of money to go start a new life and hope she's not programmed to return to Genom?! I don't think so!" 

"Why don't we take this one step at a time?" Nigel offered softly. "We'll make our decisions as we need to." 

Both Stingrays remained quiet, showing their willingness to concede to his suggestion. 

Done with his sweep, Nigel flipped off the scanner and said, "Give me and Mackey two hours to make the modifications to get rid of the white noise and replace her blown fuses. Once that's done, we can turn her on and begin the download." 

"Fine," Sylia said stiffly as she turned toward the elevator. "I'm going to tell Henderson what to prepare for dinner…" 

* * * * * 

"… Are the bindings secure?" Sylia asked as she stood and watched Nigel check Sylvie, who was held in place against the now vertical examination table with strategically placed metal braces over her limbs and torso. 

Mackey stood besides Sylia, his anxiety evident by his mild fidgeting. 

"She's not going anywhere," Nigel said as he stood back and wiped off his hands with a rag. "We can begin whenever you're ready." 

She nodded and signaled to waiting Nene in the command booth. 

At the press of a few buttons, a faint hum came from within Sylvie as electricity flooded into her. The hum eventually subsided but it was clear that her electronic processes were becoming active once more, which were most noticeable in the way her gaze suddenly focused and shifted around. She also made shifting movements against her bindings to assess her current surroundings and condition. She finally became passive as she now regarded the three humans before her expectantly. 

"Hello, Sylvie!" Mackey greeted enthusiastically, causing a slight frown on his sister's face, as well as his watching girlfriend. "I'm Mackey. Can you speak?" 

She scanned his appearance from head to toe, and then focused on his face for a moment. "Hello, Mackey," she answered. "Yes, I can. Do you have a request of me?" 

"Are you sentient?" he asked anxiously. 

She didn't move for a moment and then said, "I currently do not have enough information to give you an adequate answer. Please define what you mean by sentient." 

"Excuse me," Sylia interrupted, already losing her patience with the conversation. "Sylvie, do you have any outstanding tasks or commands you have been programmed to do?" 

The boomer regarded Sylia for a noticeably longer moment as she scanned in the details of her appearance, and then focusing on her face. Sylvie was silent for a moment before she answered. "You are an unidentified individual," she answered without infliction. "You do not have the authority to ask for such information. Request denied." 

"Who does have the authority?" Sylia persisted. 

"Again, you are an unidentified individual. You do not have the authority to ask for such information. Request denied." 

Seeing where this was going, Sylia narrowed her eyes and took a step back. "Nene, begin the download," she ordered. 

The other woman nodded and started tapping on the keyboard in front of her. To the casual observer, nothing seemed to change with Sylvie but the data on Nene's monitor screen flew by in a blur of text. 

Sylia then turned to her brother and said firmly, "That boomer's not going anywhere." 

There was dead silence as she grimly walked out of the lab, watched by everyone, including the boomer in question. 

-- End Chapter 29 -- 


	31. 8/21 - Foxhunt

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 30: Foxhunt 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

For the first time in her entire professional career, Madigan paused before entering an office. She knew of course that she was just the messenger, but personal security didn't matter when there were unpleasant variables involved. She had been disturbed but not surprised by her superior's temper tantrum when she had had to phone him extremely early that morning to deliver the news about Sylvie's disappearance as well as the presumed failure in her assassination assignment. She knew his venting wasn't directed at her so much as being just a way to let off steam against an unknown culprit. Someone had outfoxed them and it was a matter of seeing if this was a case where they should have seen this coming, or if this was a completely new variable altogether. 

Madigan took a deep breath, firmly gripped her data pad and proceeded forward so that the sensors registered her presence and slid the door open. 

Quincy stood before the large wall of windows and stared out at the afternoon sun over Tokyo Bay. In his hand was a half-consumed glass of brandy. He gave her an acknowledging glance before turning back to his view. 

Recognizing this as her cue to speak, she turned her attention to the pad and said, "All four of our search vans have reported that they have not had any positive reading for Sylvie. The theory is that she's either completely destroyed so she's not emitting any signals, or she's out of range, such as out of the city or country. I've told them to continue their search." 

Quincy gave a supportive nod. 

Madigan then continued her status read out. "My source at the hospital did not uncover any additional information from the staff or patients beyond general gossip about strange sounds such as metallic squealing and pounding. And of course some people had noticed the police cars searching the area." 

"What about Yamazaki?" 

"Records indicated that she checked out this morning, however she never arrived at home nor at work. Our source at Hugh-Geit uncovered a modification made this morning to her employment record that effective immediately she is on indefinite leave from work due to being in police protective custody." 

"So this leads back to our Detective Wong," Quincy surmised with a definite edge in his tone. 

"Yes, sir," Madigan confirmed. "Our contacts at the police department show that he had arranged for a medical team at the hospital to be on standby as well as the police officers to be on special alert without informing them of anything other than it was based on a lead for the Plaza Slaughter." 

Quincy then glanced down and noticed that he gripped his glass with white-knuckled fingers. He walked over to his desk and put the drink down, knowing his tension would have broken the container. "So, we have a missing boomer, a missing witness, and a detective whose actions are just a little too conveniently timed.... And we've confirmed that Sylvie is not being held at the Police Department?" 

Madigan nodded. "Our sources have searched every possible holding place she could be, as well as for any equipment that could have any capability of overwhelming or damaging her." 

"Have you learned anything else noteworthy about Detective Wong?" 

"Actually, yes," she responded as she put the pad down and recited from memory. "He was a part of the A.D. Police up until they were shut down because Genom had cut their funding. His whereabouts are not completely traced during that time, as with most people who remained in the city during the Revolution. But he did eventually transfer to the Osaka Police Department and quickly became a detective there before transferring back to Tokyo. 

"He was instrumental in the creation of his current department, the Neo-Tech Crimes Division. They perform similar functions to the A.D. Police but without as much manpower or equipment resources since they are funded by the government rather than Genom. But even with his current resources, there is nothing he has access to within the Police Department that even comes close to matching Sylvie's capabilities. He couldn't have pulled this off without _**outside**_ help." 

Quincy arched his eyebrow at the subtle hint in her tone. "It sounds like you found a lead." 

"Possibly," she answered, glad that his curiosity seemed to defuse some of his anger. "I just had an extremely interesting conversation with our data recovery team. Two of the staff were assigned here in Tokyo just prior to the Revolution before they were transferred out, with the rest of the Headquarters personnel. They both brought up the fact that they were part of a special surveillance assignment managed directly by your grandfather and Mason. This surveillance project focused on a team of three or four individuals called the Knight Sabers, who appeared only when boomers went rogue in order to destroy them before the boomers did too much damage. They appeared to be women dressed in hardsuits, but they could have been boomers themselves - to our staff's knowledge it was never determined exactly which. Apparently these Knight Sabers did a better job handling rogue boomers than the AD Police, causing them to be labeled vigilantes. 

"No one on the data recovery team could remember too much, other than that your grandfather had expressly ordered the cover-up of any of their activities when possible. When the headquarters was shut down, Genom stopped their surveillance. Because the Knight Sabers haven't made an appearance since then, the general consensus is that they could have been destroyed by the Revolution. The other interesting thing to note is that as far as the general public is concerned, few people even thought that they existed, as if they were just some sort of urban legend. One of our staff members did remember an instance of sensational news coverage where they were caught on camera. I'm having our connections with the television news stations launch an archive search to see if we can find that piece. 

"And it was also brought to my attention that the recovery team has noted that none of the recovered files mentions the Knight Sabers, but that's not to say that their information wasn't housed in the unsalvageable sections. I've ordered the team to do a priority search on them in the Genom files as well as our AD Police files. Of all our options on who could have subdued and caught Sylvie, these Knight Sabers are the most likely candidates. The technology capabilities as well as the method of operation matches." 

Quincy finally sat in his chair and scratched his beard thoughtfully. "So it's a very good possibility that our Detective Wong has access to these Knight Sabers, or someone who had strong enough connections to the original team to be able to reproduce their hardware and abilities. I also want a round the clock watch posted on Detective Wong, including screening all calls and contacts he makes...." He finally smiled to himself and said, "This definitely changes things, which we might be able to use…. What is the status on our other girls?" 

"We've given them the highest priority to their upgrades to full Sylvie level. They should be completed in another month." 

Quincy leaned back in his chair and said, "Set up an emergency meeting with Dr. Yuri before the day is out. I want to talk to him about developing a deployable and, if necessary, disposable combat only model. If these Knight Sabers are active, we might be able to rely on their 'on call' status to conduct some tests of our own. I want to find out as much information as possible about this group, if they are indeed the ones who are behind all of this. Also ask him where we're at with our male prototype." 

"Yes, sir," Madigan said as she made a new note in her data pad. 

The intercom line suddenly buzzed on Quincy's phone. 

He pushed the button and said, "Yes, Heinrich?" 

"Sir," his secretary's voice answered, "Dr. Yamada is here to request an audience with you. He says it's regarding his resignation, effective as soon as possible." 

The two executives exchanged a raised eyebrow look before Quincy answered, "Please send him in." 

* * * * * 

" - I realize that I am not honoring my commitment to see this project through by leaving now but I do hope you understand how much the current circumstances have forced me to make such a decision." Dr. Yamada said as he sat in the chair, his gaze lowered as he wasn't able to meet his superior's gaze. "Dr. Yuri is more than qualified to manage the team and the project going forward. Otherwise, I would not have felt comfortable to request the rest of the week off to tend to my fiancée." 

Quincy leaned back in his chair and said, "Well, Dr. Yamada, I do agree with your assessment on Dr. Yuri's capabilities, and I am glad you can confirm that my judgment was sound. I do not see a reason why we would have to keep you here longer than you feel necessary. I am curious though on what you plan to do now?" 

"My fiancée's late father had acquired a London electronics company in order to let me manage their research division. They specialize in general electronics and parts. It's work I think I can easily adapt to," he said softly. "I have no more interest in boomer research." 

The CEO of Genom Corporation was quiet for a moment before he said with a kind smile, "It is unfortunate to have you leave but I do understand why. I accept your resignation effective immediately, thank you for your many years of loyal service to Genom Corporation, and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors." 

"Thank you, sir," the scientist answered gratefully. "If you don't mind, sir, I would like to clean out my office before I leave." 

Quincy shook his head but still maintained his pleasant smile. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, Dr. Yamada. Even future ex-employees are not allowed in such secure areas, as you can imagine why. Madigan will make certain your personal items are sent to you." 

Dr. Yamada looked undeniably disappointed as he responded, "I - I understand, sir. Then is there any way I can have one last visit with Sylvie? It-it may sound overly sentimental for a scientist such as myself, but I would like to say good-bye to her before I go." 

Because the scientist's gaze was on the floor before him, he didn't see the curious look the executives exchanged. 

Quincy cleared his throat and said, "Again, I am truly sorry, Dr. Yamada. But she is considered highly classified as well." 

"Oh." Dr. Yamada took a deep breath and tried to hide the painful twinge in his heart. He then stood and bowed. "Thank you, sir, for your graciousness and understanding. I am truly grateful for the experience and opportunities I have gained with Genom Corporation. And may you have continued success as well." 

Quincy stood and bowed in return. "Thank you, Dr. Yamada. Madigan will make certain your resignation matters are settled as efficiently as possible." 

Once the scientist left under the escort of Quincy's secretary and a security guard, the two executives exchanged another look. 

"That was certainly interesting," Quincy mused. "Either he's suddenly developed acting skills, or he honestly doesn't know anything about last night." 

"Should we keep an eye on him?" 

Quincy thought about it and then said, "No. I don't think he's a factor anymore. And if he does become important again, we'll deal with him then…. And, Madigan, make certain we give him a 300% bonus in his final pay check. He did serve us well, after all." 

"Yes, sir." 

-- End Chapter 30 -- 


	32. 8/21 - Perspective

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 31: Perspective 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

At first Sylia thought it was her imagination. But then she noticed enough instances that there was no doubt about the fact that Sylvie was watching her, or more precisely _**staring**_ at her. 

When Sylia came back into the pit to check on the boomer's download status, she first glanced at Sylvie and then noticed how the boomer stared back, and didn't look away. The pattern repeated itself a couple of times, causing Sylia to realize she couldn't just dismiss it as being coincidence. Being the scientist that she was in her heart and soul, to test out her theory, she called everyone into the pit, even Henderson, to watch Sylvie's reaction to them. And every time the boomer would acknowledge them with a glance, but then revert to watching Sylia's every move, even turning and lifting her head when she was able to. 

To be fair to Sylvie though, there really wasn't anything else the boomer could do since she was still firmly bound to the heavy vertical examination table. 

Still, the behavior turned some mental wheels for Sylia. Did Sylvie recognize Sylia's hostility and therefore label her as a threatening entity? Once combat boomers are on alert, they were programmed to not ignore or "forget" the trigger until they've received an override command or the source has been identified and neutralized. 

Reika's words of a similar reaction echoed in Sylia's mind. Yet, something just didn't feel quite right. Reika might be able to project the aura of a cool Clan Leader, but that would hardly trigger noteworthy alert status from a combat boomer. 

Sylia herself wasn't unnerved by the behavior as much as annoyed by it, and perhaps a little curious at a scientific level. 

Realizing that her thoughts were straying again, Sylia focused on the algorithms displayed on the monitor, showing just a sliver of Sylvie's sophisticated programming. Upon a surface examination of the data, Sylia had to admit she was impressed. The encryption was top-notched, an unbreakable code by even the most advanced hacking programming Nene had available. Sylvie was designed to be completely classified, even in her brain. 

Having not recovered all of her sleep from the frantic activity of the night and morning before, Sylia felt a yawn creep up on her and started to indulge in it as well as a stretch, much to her regret. 

"Damn!" she muttered as she felt the stab of pain at her ribs. 

With Linna completely out of commission, and Sylia not up to full physical capacity, Nene was left as the sole active Knight Saber in the event that Sylvie's boomer sisters should resurface for some reason. Sylia had to admit she wasn't sure how Nene would fare in a fight with just one of them, never mind three others. Even if the three Sabers were able to don hardsuits, they were also out of practice, herself included. And every bit counts when dealing with boomers programmed to fight, as opposed to out of control, raging creatures. 

Sylia mused that there had to be some way to give the Knight Sabers better odds than this... 

Sylia then glanced up over the monitor and once again found that Sylvie had been staring at her, not at all moving or blinking as she did so. 

Finally completely annoyed with this, and taking advantage of the fact they were alone in the pit, Sylia promptly walked over to Sylvie and stopped before her. 

"Do you consider me a hostile entity?" Sylia asked bluntly in full confrontational stance with her hands on her hips. 

The boomer didn't react immediately, showing she was processing the question. After a few seconds, she answered, "I realize you are unhappy with my presence. But I am unable to conclude why." 

Sylia blinked. The answer was a lot more... **_aware_** than what she had expected. 

Her scientific curiosity getting the better of her, Sylia narrowed her eyes and asked, "Why are you watching me?" 

She didn't pause this time as she stated, "You are beautiful." 

It was a good thing that they were alone; otherwise, someone would have seen the completely surprised and bewildered statement appear on Sylia's face. 

Regaining some composure back, Sylia cleared her throat and then asked, "Is that why you stared at Reika Chang?" 

"She is beautiful." 

The woman and the boomer stared at each other for a silent few minutes. 

Sylia then let out a sigh and rubbed her temples. She walked out of the pit and muttered to herself, "I can _**not**_ believe I am contemplating this..." 

* * * * * 

"I thought you would turned in to catch up on your sleep," Nigel commented as he took off his jacket and tossed it on the nearby chair in her living room. 

Sylia carefully pressed herself against him for a hug and said, "I don't feel quite like sleeping while I have a guest like Sylvie downstairs." 

"Don't blame you," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. 

Sylia immediately flinched at the uncomfortable pressure on her wound, causing Nigel to immediately drop his arms to his side. 

"Should I even touch you?" he asked softly. "I know you didn't call me over for anything really 'physical.'" 

She giggled and said, "You're quite right. I have something important I want to discuss with you in person." 

"About your new boomer?" 

"Another right guess. You're doing very well." 

He smiled gently and said, "Well, Sylvie's the only important variable that would impact me. Unless there's a lot more that happened between you and Reika this morning than what you told me. And if I recall correctly, alcohol wasn't a factor this time." 

"Almost sounds like jealousy, Mr. Kirkland." 

"Hmph. What is it about Sylvie you want to talk about?" he asked, steering away from a potentially prickly subject. 

Sylia pulled back to look at him in the eye and asked seriously, "You said that with the proper tweaks and connections, Sylvie is 80 to 85 percent at Mackey capacity. What would it take to bring her up to the full 100 percent?" 

Nigel studied her face for a long time before answering, "Do you have your father's files on Mackey?" 

"Of course I do, though I've never really looked at them." 

Nigel mulled it over and said, "I'd have to study the schematics and see what wiring and components she's missing, and then acquire or make those parts. Then there's the matter of figuring out which algorithms she's missing and adding them to her base program." 

"I can take care of that with Nene's help." 

"It could take as little as a week, as long as a couple of months, depending on what needs to be done. Of course, we could also do it in stages...." Nigel then sighed and said, "Sylia, you do realize that she'd be as sentient as Mackey is but with the capabilities of a top line combat boomer. And we wouldn't be able to justify keeping her bound the way she is. Sentience means freedom, and trust. And that's not even touching on the whole issue of why we have her in the first place." 

"I know," she answered softly, pressing her cheek against his chest. "I realize I'll have to develop special safety precautions in her case, at least until we figure out how to get the Linna assassination command wiped out of her, as well as her return to Genom default. I'll also figure out how to deal with Daley over this. I think he only cares about getting evidence. He agreed to my condition that I would destroy her after we were done.... And I _**am**_ wondering if I'm doing this just to prove to Mackey that I can view a boomer to be as individual as a person." 

"The fact that you don't even consider Mackey to be a boomer most of the time speaks volumes in and of itself. If you're going to make the decision to do this to Sylvie, do it because you truly believe she already has the essence of sentience within her. You don't have to prove anything to anyone by forcing her to become something she's not. If we do this, there's no turning back." 

After a few minutes of silence, Sylia let out a sigh of her own and said, "Can we start tonight?" 

"You need your rest first," he said as he kissed her forehead. "We'll start in the morning." 

"Will you be my pillow?" 

"Of course." 

-- End Chapter 31 -- 


	33. 9/1 - Skin Deep

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 32: Skin Deep 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Upon Sylia's signal, Nene flipped the switch. 

After a warm-up period, Sylvie opened her eyes. The difference was subtle but instantaneous, showing such slight responses as spontaneous blinking and sporadic shifting of her gaze to nearby visual or auditory stimulus. 

It took only a second to get her bearings before the boomer focused on the mild burning feelings across various parts of her artificial skin. 

"This physical... sensation is unfamiliar," she commented out loud, clearly wanting an explanation. 

"That's pain," Mackey said, jumping in before Sylia could speak. "It'll pass soon." 

"That's partly true," Sylia said, knowing that a slightly more scientific explanation was needed for the boomer. "Previously you were programmed to be aware of any damage to your body, no matter how slight, but only for reasons of assessment. What was missing was the qualitative experience similar to humans. Yes, this session of pain will pass because we're still fixing the various areas where your skin surface had been damaged. However, it would be very possible to experience it again, even at a more intense level depending on the extend of the damage." 

"It is distracting," Sylvie pointed out, the creases of a frown appearing on her brow. "I do not like it." 

"And you shouldn't," Sylia responded. "Unlike a human, however, you are able to deploy special algorithms that will once again allow you to ignore the pain sensations as you had previously, but using them will be on emergency basis partially because it will drain extra power from your energy cells to use them. However, the point is that you will now be able to experience good sensations as well as bad ones, just like a human. And that's why I wanted to talk to you now before we progress further. 

"My team and I are willing to upgrade you to the level of a fully sentient boomer, comparable to Mackey here. We've already upgraded your core enough for you to be able to comprehend what I'm saying to you now, but there are several larger revisions that need to be done in steps and over time. What I want to know is if you wish for us to continue. If you do not wish to become an independent, free individual, then I will give the word to remove all enhancements we've made and you will not have any record of this conversation, nor will it matter to you going forward. It will not be easy, and as you can already tell, there are some immediate drawbacks. But we are willing to help you if it is what you want." 

Sylvie focused on every word Sylia uttered, her expression as passive as ever. Then she looked at the waiting Nigel and Mackey in the background, especially at the younger Stingray. 

"Sylvie, it'll be worth it!" Mackey gushed. "I guarantee it! And I'll help you any way I can!" 

Meanwhile, Nene sat in the command booth above the pit and watched the entire interaction with a dark expression, as her fingers methodically tapping the surface of the panel. 

After studying Mackey for a moment, the other boomer looked back at Sylia and said, "I would like to be like him. I would like to be free." 

* * * * * 

"Mistress Sylia, would you like more tea?" Henderson asked. "Or would coffee be better?" 

"It looks like it's going to be another all-nighter at this point, so coffee is the wiser choice," she answered as she leaned back in the chair and rubbed her eyes, having studied algorithms for the past four hours non-stop in her private computer room. 

"The others have already gone home for the evening. Perhaps you should also use that as a cue to turn in yourself." 

She smiled and said, "Thank you for the hint as always, Henderson, but I think I'm on the verge of uncovering a key piece and don't want to lose my train of thought. However, I am ordering _you_ to turn in once you get me my coffee." 

"Of course, my lady," he said with a bow. 

Once the butler left, all signs of pleasantness disappeared from Sylia's face as she looked at one of the monitor screens focused on Sylvie. The boomer was once again in "off" position, her cranium open to show that Nigel and Mackey were in mid-process of installing more upgrades. Thanks to the team's combined expertise and skills, the enhancements to Sylvie were going forward at a phenomenal pace. However, the enhancements didn't change the encrypted code commands that were buried inside of her. 

Sylia looked back to the main screen that showed the original programming algorithms they had downloaded from Sylvie. With Nene's help, she had managed to hack through and understand about one tenth of the source code and data that was clearly tied to combat and recreational capabilities. Sylia had to admit she was both impressed and amused by what Sylvie's creators considered to be required skills for both roles. But it still didn't provide any evidence or leads that Daley could use. 

Feeling a full-body yawn creep up, Sylia indulged in it and once again caught herself with a stab of pain. Cursing to herself, Sylia thought that she hadn't needed coffee to stay awake for as long as she had, thanks to her barely healing injury. 

Even though she was aware of everyone's concerned looks, she appreciated that no one was actually saying anything about her lack of self-care in that area. The timing was too crucial for her to lie in bed for a couple of days on painkillers so that her body could focus on healing. She knew that the less focused time and energy her body had to spend rebuilding itself only prolonged the healing process, as well as impacting her overall performance. She promised herself that she would focus on staying in bed for a week once the whole matter was over. 

Suddenly a light on the panel signalled an incoming phone call. 

Sylia frowned, realizing that everyone who would call her at this late hour should be asleep… Unless it was news about Linna. 

She immediately hit the receive button, only to be confronted with a full-screen head shot of a frantic Priss Asagiri. 

"Sylia, what's this about Linna being in the hospital?!" the singer demanded. The lighting behind her showed that it was daytime wherever she was. 

Sylia answered coolly, "Why, Priss, I assume this means you've finally checked your messages." _My, she looks the same after three years. Hair is longer though, probably with more split ends._

"So is she all right or not?!" she persisted. 

"Well, she fell from a third story window during an assassination attempt and is now in recovery, as well as police custody at the home of my ex-girlfriend." 

Priss's only response at first was a blink as she tried to digest the string of information. Forcing a much calmer tone, she repeated, "So is she all right or not?" 

"She hasn't woken up yet, however, we think she will be fine. We're making certain she gets the best care possible for a full recovery." Sylia then added, "I'm taking care of everything for her." 

"Okay then…" a deflated Priss responded though it was clear she wanted to say something else because she didn't hang up right away. 

Sylia then arched her brow and prompted, "Is there anything else you want to know?" 

"… What's this about an assassination attempt?" 

"That's somewhat more complicated and this isn't a secure line," Sylia responded coolly. "Besides, it's business on a need to know basis only." 

"'Need to know?'" Priss repeated, though it was clear she knew where this was going. 

"As in members of the Team only." 

Priss stared in response for a moment and then asked, "Is the Team active again?" 

"Until this matter is resolved, which could be sooner rather than later. You're welcome to come back and be on stand-by, though there are no guarantees you'll be needed. But I think the support would be appreciated because Nene is the only one who is able to be on active duty." 

Priss frowned and asked, "What about you?" 

"In capturing the assassin in question, I received an injury of my own." 

The two women stared at each other through the screen. 

Priss then stated, "If I come back, it's to help with Linna's recovery. I'm not promising anything else." 

"I'm certain she would appreciate it." 

Priss then dropped her gaze and an embarrassed blush showed up on her cheeks. "So, uh, is there any way you can book me a plane ticket, or at least loan me the money for it? I promise I'll pay you back for it." 

"Just _one_ ticket?" the other woman asked with a curious tilt to her head. 

"Of course not!" Priss retorted, her annoyance returning. "Two would do." 

"Tell me where my travel agent should contact you.…" 

Once the information and an abrupt farewell was exchanged, Sylia found herself staring at the blank screen that had shown Priss's face only moments before. 

The irony was that this was the first communication the two women had had in any form in the past three years. 

Sylia then smirked to herself as she mused out loud, "So even though she knows she's not needed, she's still coming back for her. This could prove interesting..." 

For some reason, Sylia glanced at Sylvie again before turning her attention back to deciphering algorithms. 

-- End Chapter 32 -- 


	34. 9/1 - Power Games

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 33: Power Games 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Upon receiving the news that his guests had arrived, Quincy gave a final glance to his waiting display of boomers. Each female standing perfectly at attention yet ready to act upon any command without hesitation. Satisfied that everything was ready, the President of Genom Corporation gave a final adjustment to his tie and took his place by the warehouse door. 

The black limo pulled up as expected, drawing to a stop with smooth grace. 

Both back doors opened, revealing the men in suits that Quincy had recognized as his guests personal bodyguards. They held the doors open for the other occupants of the vehicle to exit, moving with all of the style and power they commanded. 

The next person to appear was the familiar tall and extremely lean figure of Largo Watanabe. His features were Japanese with long, straight black hair that was so dark that it almost looked blue. At the young age of 28 and with the smoothly handsome looks, he could easily be mistaken for a model or an actor instead of one of the most powerful men in Tokyo, if not all of Japan. Dressed in a fashionable suit with dark sunglasses and a white trench coat, he exuded the aura of the Yakuza boss that he was. 

Simultaneously, another figure emerged from the other side. Even if Quincy hadn't know who she was by name and description, there was little doubt upon seeing her of what her connection was to the young man she accompanied. Yoshiko Watanabe was also tall and lean, as beautiful as her twin brother was handsome. Her hair matched the exact shade of his, and would have appeared longer if it hadn't been combed back. Also exuding the aura of absolute power and money, she wore sunglasses and a dark gray trenchcoat over a stylish pantsuit. 

A third figure emerged from the limo, a person new to Quincy, and unexpected. A young woman in her late twenties stepped out from Yoshiko's door. Though also Japanese, she did not seem related to the siblings judging by her pretty features that were half hidden by her black bangs that were combed over half of her face. She wore sunglasses and in a pantsuit under a long coat. Also tall and lean, she clearly had the presence of someone who had more athletic value than administrative support. 

"Mr. Quincy," Largo said with a bow of acknowledgement as he took off his glasses upon entering the building. "Sorry to keep you waiting. My sister's plane was late in arriving." 

"That's quite all right, Mr. Watanabe. Such things happen," Quincy responded with a bow in kind. "The girls are ready whenever you are." 

Quincy noticed how the two women lingered behind, apparently ignoring the men's conversation. The second woman pulled out a cigarette for Yoshiko and lit it for her while whispering something in her ear. Yoshiko let out a puff of smoke and gave a barely noticeable nod in response before turning her attention to the waiting men. 

Upon seeing that her attention seemed to be finally focused on him, Quincy bowed deeply and said, "Ms. Watanabe, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. I'm honored at this opportunity to provide this special demonstration for you and your brother, since you missed the original demonstration." 

Not taking off her sunglasses as she entered the building, she gave him a nod and said with a trace of an Italian accent, "Your boomers have been quite the talk lately among international circles, Mr. Rosenkreuz. My curiosity has been piqued." 

Quincy then nodded to the other woman, who remained a couple of steps behind Yoshiko. "And may I ask who this is?" 

"This is Mei Asakawa," Yoshiko introduced. "She's also an expert of sorts in boomer combat technology so I thought this demonstration would be of interest to her." 

Mei gave Quincy a bow but said nothing, her attention far more captivated by the boomers in the background. She took off her sunglasses to see better in the indoor lighting and in doing so allowed Quincy a glimpse of her face hidden beneath the hair. He briefly saw the white streak of scars running from her forehead, over her eyelid and across her cheek, which piqued the man's curiosity -- such cosmetic flaws could easily be corrected with today's medical technology. Her one visible eye looked a little off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why or how. 

"Then let us begin?" Quincy suggested, signaling to the waiting Madigan and his staff. 

* * * * * 

"I'm glad I was finally able to watch such a full demonstration live," Largo mentioned to Quincy as his sister and her companion continued to talk to Madigan in more depth about the boomers. "It's definitely not as satisfying hearing third-hand accounts or watching videos.... Speaking of which, the public is still crying out for resolution to our special demonstration. Have the police come any closer to solving the case?" 

Quincy shook his head. "Nothing concrete according to our sources. However, there is a very smart detective who may stand in the way of closing this case as unsolved." 

"That's what our sources tell me as well. Are you going to need a sacrificial lamb to settle the matter once and for all?" 

Quincy mulled it over a moment and said, "I don't know yet. I may have to take you up on the offer should Detective Wong prove persistent." 

"Well, let me know and we can coordinate something. Quieting government officials is far easier than satisfying a public crying for justice," Largo responded. "It's the least I can do since you accommodated my request for the demonstration so satisfactorily. Is there any status on this missing witness?" 

"Yamazaki? No. Not yet. But we are keeping an eye out for all possible leads, including watching her apartment as well as her parents' home for any form of contact or clues to her whereabouts..." Quincy paused as a stray thought hit him. "Out of curiosity, what is your opinion of the Knight Sabers?" 

An extremely amused look appeared on Largo's face as he commented, "Researching local urban legends, Mr. Rosenkreuz?" 

Something about his tone and wording sparked an even more intense interest in Quincy. "Some people would consider men like us urban legends as well. And I've found that there is always a grain of truth in myths for the masses." 

Largo let out a chuckle. "Too true. As for the Knight Sabers, I recall hearing that your grandfather had a particular interest in them. He may have been considered delusional by the end of his days, but this was one matter where many people shared his hallucination." 

"Yourself included?" 

"I've never had to deal with the matter of rogue boomers, so they didn't matter to me personally. However, other people I know were particularly fascinated with them," he answered as he continued to watch his sister and Ms. Asakawa. "And what about the Knight Sabers has captured your interest?" 

"Just doing my homework in case I get a pop quiz." 

Finishing their discussion with Madigan, the female guests came up to them. 

Yoshiko seemed to be looking at him even though she had never taken her glasses off. "I'm quite impressed, Mr. Rosenkreuz. Ms. Madigan tells us you've already had orders for over 75, with the earliest delivery hitting the streets as soon as by the fourth quarter. However, I am curious to know where the one called 'Sylvie' is. She made quite an impression on our representatives." 

"Sylvie is in the upgrading process," he answered smoothly. "We are already implementing the enhancements to bring her to the next version, which will have the integrated capabilities we've beta-tested for your brother... I have to admit, Mr. Watanabe, that I'm surprised at your willingness to wait since some of your strongest rivals have already placed substantial orders." 

Largo didn't look concerned as he answered, "That's why I asked my sister and Ms. Asakawa to come here. Their weapons technology expertise and strategic experience hardly leaves us vulnerable during this waiting period. Plus, I would be curious to see what our rivals plan to do with their new toys, if they are indeed going to be used for defensive purposes, or they'll perform tests of their own. Of course, that's providing they haven't already contacted you in those matters just like we did, Mr. Rosenkreuz." 

"I do what my clients ask of me," he answered simply, "as any good businessman would." 

A slight smile actually appeared at the corner of Largo's mouth before he turned to his sister and asked, "Have you seen everything you need to?" 

"I did. Mei?" 

The other woman nodded. 

"Well then, Mr. Rosenkreuz," Largo said, "Please let us know when the new version of Sylvie will be available for a demonstration. As well as your male prototype." 

"Of course. Your eagerness is my eagerness..." 

* * * * * 

"We should buy at least one so we can study it in more depth," Yoshiko noted once the three of them were alone in the back of the limousine. In the privacy of the car, she finally took off her sunglasses, revealing dark violet eyes. "It doesn't hurt to at least begin our education on this new model since there's a good chance they'll become standard accessories in our circles." 

Mei was seated next to her and her brother sat in the seat across from them. Their bodyguards had been sent to the front cab to allow them maximum privacy in their discussion. 

"I had thought the same but do we have the expertise to make it worth our while and expense?" Largo asked. "In the past, we've always relied on direct support from Genom's resources so we never maintained our own technology staff for such matters." 

Yoshiko nodded, "When we get back to Rome, I'll prepare my team for what's coming. I'm certain there are a couple of people who would be very interested in broadening their horizons with such a challenge. Don't you agree, Mei?" 

The other woman nodded and answered in a soft but firm voice, "I've noticed some have become bored and this may renew their interests and commitments appropriately." 

"Hmm, Genom may have something in that boomer loyalty can be far more reliable than humans at times," Largo mused. 

"Providing they don't go rogue," Mei pointed out as she stared out the window with her one visible eye. 

"Do you think we may have possibilities with these?" the man asked. 

Mei shrugged. "The only one who would know that best would be Sylia. And I'm certainly not going to call her to ask." 

"Speaking of which," Largo said, "Rosenkreuz actually asked me about the Knight Sabers while we were in there." 

Both women looked noticeably surprised. 

"Did he say why he was curious?" Mei asked. 

Largo shook his head. "No. But I do think it's interesting that this is the first time he's mentioned them since he took over Genom Tokyo. Either he's come across old but still valuable information, or something new has happened to pique his curiosity." 

"It makes no sense if it's something new," Mei pointed out, clearly troubled by the subject. "There haven't been any reports of rogue boomers, even through our channels. So there's no reason for Sylia to activate her team again." 

"Unless there's something personal involved which would still require the firepower and capabilities of these Knight Sabers," Yoshiko pointed out. Then she slyly grinned and said, "I would look forward to seeing them since I missed them the first couple of times around." 

Mei frowned slightly to herself but said nothing. 

Largo remarked, "To do that, Dear Sister, you would have to move back to Tokyo." 

She gave him a smirk. "Well, I don't think my curiosity is that strong. Rome without Knight Sabers is still far more interesting to me," Yoshiko answered as she motioned for another cigarette. "What about you, Mei? Would you rather move back to Tokyo to catch a glimpse of them again?" 

The other woman didn't answer at first as she pulled out a cigarette case and a lighter. Then she commented cryptically, "I've seen more than enough of them to last me several lifetimes." 

-- End Chapter 33 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	35. 9/3 - Calm Surfaces

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 34: Calm Surfaces 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Daley stared over his terminal out at the view of the Tokyo skyline. His fingers gripped a pen as the words of that morning's conversation still played over and over in his mind. 

"I need results, Wong!" his gruff boss Nick Roland had yelled in his usual unrestrained fashion. The open door negated the fact that the two of them were in the privacy of his office. "Top brass is expecting something concrete after that hospital sting operation you pulled without their prior knowledge or approval! It's giving them more weight to close this case if this sting didn't produce court evidence!" 

"I'm telling you, sir, we should have answers soon!" Daley had insisted as he had tried to maintain his composure. "My team is still researching -" 

_"What_ team, Wong?! I've checked. The labs aren't doing anything special for you, nor are the other detectives. Romanova's been putting in only half time in the office so you can't tell me she's doing your research work! Do you mean to tell me you've got your own private staff at your disposal? If so, I'd like to know who they are so I can put them on payroll!" 

"Sir, I _NEED_ you to trust me on this one!" the normally composed detective blurted. "I'll admit right now I have no evidence even though I'm damned convinced I know who's behind it and how they did it. All I ask is for another week to be able to produce something. If nothing pans out, you can suspend me, fire me, whatever. I don't want these killers to get away with this anymore than you do!" 

Roland paused and stared at Wong. Then he took a breath and said in a much calmer voice, "Fine. You have one more week to prove there's a reason why this case should remain open. And that's it." Then he added with a wry smile. "I used to think the harebrain schemes were all originally Leon's idea but now I'm wondering if I wasn't a little off." 

Wong had grinned at him and said, "Maybe his influence rubbed off on me?" 

"Nice try. Now get your ass back to work. Or I'll be tempted to hire your boyfriend in your place!" 

Daley frowned at the memory of those words. Even though the last comment was said in jest, it particularly stung. 

Once Yuuji's "sources" informed him of the mysterious goings on at the hospital - which he knew was timed with Daley's sting operation -- he used his investigative reporter's skill at research and interviews to dig up as much dirt as possible. He ended up painting a picture of some sort of conspiratorial cover-up regarding a missing witness to the Plaza Slaughter. Adding fuel to the fire, the public never knew this witness existed since that was previously kept as confidential information. And since Yuuji worked for the most prestigious newspaper in town rather than some tabloid rag, everyone knew that there was substantial truth to be had in the front-page article. 

Since then, things had not been very cosy in the Wong/Akamatsu home despite their agreement to leave their professional lives at the front door. At least they were now being civil to each other even though it was clear a very obvious subject was being avoided in their otherwise pleasant conversations. It was probably just as well since their apartment was being bugged and they didn't dare remove any of the devices since that would tip Daley's hand too much. At least he got Yuuji to agree to being "ignorant" about the spying given what was at stake here. 

Daley sighed and stared at the phone, once again resisting the overwhelming urge to call Sylia to get some sort of status. They had agreed to no contact because of bugging and surveillance, and that any substantial news would be reported in code through Nene. And his assistant hadn't uttered a word of anything positive yet. 

Still, there were other cases to work on, though none anywhere near as high-profile or as important. 

He then looked over at the young woman who shared his office and found that she too was staring out the window, which was unusual for her, since she usually found some way to occupy herself through her terminal. 

"Hey, Nene, want to go for an early lunch? I think we both need some fresh air." 

"I'm not really hungry," she answered, not turning her gaze from the view. 

Daley's eyebrows shot up. Now _this_ was serious. "Are you feeling ill? Perhaps you've been overworking yourself?" 

"No, that's not it." She paused and then finally looked at him with a deadly serious gaze as she asked, "Daley, do you think I'm immature?" 

Realizing that this was a loaded question, Daley pushed his glasses back in place and asked instead, "Did someone imply that you were?" 

"Well, not directly... I just... I guess I don't know what I'm trying to say," she admitted with a huff of breath. "You know, I asked Sylia about that 'drunken make-out session' comment that Reika woman said about her and Linna. She told me it happened during Galatea and that they didn't 'go all the way.' She said they just took a 'partial trip.' Whatever that means." 

Daley could make some educated guesses even though he admitted he definitely had no personal knowledge or interest in lesbian foreplay and sex practices. "Well, they obviously found some sort of resolution about it if they're friends now and aren't seeing each other -- like that, I mean." 

"It's not even so much knowing about the two of them," Nene admitted. "I just had no clue. I don't go around thinking about sex and stuff even though it appears everyone else seems to." 

"Well, um, what about you and Mackey?" 

Nene's face turned completely red. "No, of course _NOT!_ That's what I love about him. He's not the stereotype of hands and hormones that I've heard others complain about. But now I'm wondering if it's because of me, and he's only accommodating whatever I want to do, or don't want to do." 

Daley narrowed his eyes as a picture started to form, "Has he shown interest in someone else?" 

Nene now frowned and muttered, "Yes. And it would be some tall Amazonian goddess who seems to be perfect for him." 

"Perfect? Do you mean -" 

"So is this how you waste the taxpayers dollars? Gossiping on the clock?" Leon McNichol said as he leaned in the door way, dressed in the jeans and t-shirt that had become his standard attire of the past three years. 

_"LEON-POO!!!"_ Nene squealed happily as she jumped up from the chair. 

"Hi - _Hey!"_ he retorted just as she tackled him with a bear hug. However, his initial annoyance was immediately swept aside by her genuine enthusiasm. 

Daley chuckled and got up from his seat to shake hands. "Well, howdy, ex-partner. They let you in here unescorted?" 

Leon flashed his visitor's badge and said, "Apparently I still have a trustworthy face around here." 

"I had no idea you were coming!" Nene exclaimed, her excitement barely contained. "When did you get back?" 

"Actually, just now. I came from the airport, and Priss is heading over to Sylia's to talk to her." He paused slightly as he suddenly saw Daley pull out a notepad and madly scramble something down while motioning for him to continue speaking. "And I admit I have pretty selfish reasons for coming here first in that I was wondering if either of you could put us up temporarily until we can find our own place." 

Daley handed him the note which read 'Office is bugged. Careful of talk about K.S.' Leon nodded in understanding. 

Not caring about the note exchange, Nene declared, "So you're back to stay?!" 

"For now," he admitted, though his tone didn't sound completely sure. 

"Well, I'd love to have you two, but you wouldn't fit in my apartment with all of my computer stuff," Nene admitted. 

"I'd have to call Yuuji to okay it with him but I don't see why you can't use our guest bedroom." 

"Hey, I'll finally be able to meet the man at last!" Leon declared. 

"You know," Nene said, "Sylia has plenty of room at her place. You and Priss could stay there as long as you need to and you wouldn't be in anybody's way." 

"Ah, I'd rather not explore that option unless we _absolutely_ have to," Leon said with a slight frown. 

"Hunh? Why not -?" 

"Let me call Yuuji now," Daley said quickly as he pulled out his cell phone, picking up on the deeper meaning. 

Leon grinned and teased, "Well, isn't this domestically cute? Bet you're the totally whipped boy, Wong." 

Daley glared at him, pushed his glasses back in place and stated, "Don't throw stones, Leon-poo!" 

-- End Chapter 34 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	36. 9/3 - Prodigal

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 35: Prodigal 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Priss ran her hand along the handlebars, finally resting on the shell covering the engine. A deep smile appeared on her face as she regarded her long time friend. 

She turned to the waiting mechanics of K's Garage and said, "Thanks, guys, for keeping her for me." 

"You should thank Mackey especially," Nigel noted with a drag of his cigarette. "He kept her polished and ran regular checks on her to make sure she was ready at a moment's notice." 

"Well, we were never sure when or if you were going to come back," he sheepishly admitted. 

_"Mackey!"_ Nigel said sharply, another signal that the younger man had put his foot in his mouth. 

"It's all right," Priss said with a slight curve of a smile. "I've wondered that myself. And, thank you, Mackey." 

"So are you back to stay?" Mackey asked, feeling encouraged to be nosy. 

"It all depends how well and how quickly Linna recovers. And a couple of other things." 

"Have you gone to see her yet?" 

"No, this was my first stop. But since Sylia knows to call me as soon as she gets news of Linna waking up, I guess there's no rush." 

She paused and looked around the garage, noting that it didn't seem to have changed much in the past three years. Of course, Mackey looked the same, but Nigel had actually started to gray at his sideburns, which shouldn't have been too surprising since he was now over forty. She then noticed another item in the corner covered with a gray cloth; its size and shape were too familiar. It was Linna's scooter. 

Priss smiled to herself at the sight and then frowned when another thought occurred to her, "Guys, um, Sylia didn't give me any information about the boomer that attacked Linna. Was it rogue or not?" 

Mackey opened his mouth to speak but Nigel cut him off, "It's a bit complicated. You should really talk to Sylia and have her explain it." 

Realizing that was Nigel's way of closing the subject, Priss nodded and pulled on her motorcycle helmet. 

* * * * * 

"Welcome to the Silky Doll," greeted the tall, Caucasian beauty with the long white-blonde hair. "How may I help you?" 

In her familiar leather biker's outfit with the helmet gripped in her hand, Priss stared at the friendly sales girl, waiting for some sort of twitch of the mouth or arched eyebrow to expose a more sarcastic intent behind the pleasant words. None came as the other young woman tilted her head expectantly for some sort of response. 

Some nearby customers were already giggling and murmuring in the background. 

Priss ignored their attitude and focused on the puzzling fact this new sales girl actually seemed genuine in her offer to help. 

"Look, uh -" she glanced at the name-tag, "Sylvie, I'm an old friend of Sylia's. My name's Priss. Is she around?" 

A look of recognition suddenly lit up her eyes as she said, "Ah! Yes, she mentioned you would come some time today but she wasn't sure when. I'm sorry she's not upstairs right now. But perhaps you'd like to wait for her by trying on this dress in the dressing room over there." Sylvie picked up the nearest garment available and offered it to her. 

Priss stared at the pink dress before her and then narrowed her eyes at the other woman. 

Sylvie just tilted her head and smiled sweetly. She didn't give any indication that she was being less than sincere in her actions. 

Suppressing a frown, Priss carefully took the dress and said, "Fine. I'll go try this on." 

Priss was feeling déjà vu at the looks and giggles as she stiffly walked her way to the dressing room. When she stepped inside, she looked at the mirror before her and saw Sylvie watching her intently from the background. They stared at each other through the reflection before Priss slid the door closed behind her. 

Following the familiar routine, Priss ended up in the secret elevator to make her way down to the darker depths of the building. As the floors whizzed by, she pressed her hand to her chest at the sensation of her increased heartbeat. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, staying that way until the elevator finally came to a halt and opened to the familiar open space of the pit. 

She frowned to see worktables, tools and machines that indicated massive activity was the norm for the laboratory these days. 

"Welcome back, Priss," Sylia greeted from her place at one of the tables, where she seemed to be tinkering with what looked like a fancy palm-sized remote control. "How was the flight from London?" 

"Great when you go first class," she commented as she tossed the dress on the nearby table before coming over to lean against the table where Sylia was actually working. 

"Yes, I was surprised you wanted to take that kind of flight, especially as a last minute expense." 

The singer shrugged and said, "Well, Leon and I don't have much opportunities to really enjoy ourselves with living from gig to gig so I thought we'd splurge this time. Plus, it helped to be guaranteed a space rather than waiting on stand by. And we do realize we owe you for the tickets and we'll pay you back once we start to earn some more money when the rest of the band catches up with us.... By the way, since when did you have shop help?" 

"You mean Sylvie?" she responded without looking up from her task of soldering some circuits together under a magnifying lens. "I tested her out yesterday afternoon and she seemed to catch on quickly. This is her first day without my assistance and I've received some great reports from the occasional spot checks I've done. I've never trusted my customers to anyone else before, but they all seem to take to her." 

"Yeah, well, power to her if it means more time for you to be able to get to the bottom of this incident with Linna." Priss then crossed her arms and said, "So now that I'm here and this place is about as secure as we can get, are you going to finally tell me what happened?" 

Sylia finally stopped her task and looked pointedly at her before asking, "Did you hear about the Plaza Slaughter?" 

Priss frowned, not liking that opening at all. "Yeah, people went out of their way to tell us about it since they knew we were from Tokyo. What does it have to do with Linna?..." 

* * * * * 

"...I didn't become a Knight Saber just so I could baby-sit rich bastards who don't play nice with their overpriced toys," Priss stated bluntly. 

"And I didn't create the team to do that either," Sylia responded, showing her annoyance as well. "But the fact remains that innocent people like Linna get caught in the cross-fire, and that's where being a Knight Saber becomes critical." 

"It looks like you already got your boomer," Priss said with a pointed thumb towards upstairs. "If you want to get to the heart of the problem, you take out those rich bastards. You don't need to be a Knight Saber to do that." She grabbed the dress and started to walk out. 

"Priss." 

The singer froze in her tracks but didn't turn around. "Yes?" 

"I will still call you when I get news of Linna," Sylia said in a firm, low tone. "Yet keep in mind that although you were her best friend, you weren't around during the other times when she really needed you. And showing up after the fact doesn't make up for your absence. She's moved on in more ways than one." 

Priss remained frozen and then said softly, "Thanks for the f.y.i., Sylia. But that's a matter between her and me." 

Not another word was exchanged between them as Priss stepped into the elevator to go back to the top. She pressed her fingertips at her chest and frowned at the racing rhythm of her heart. 

With the pink dress in one hand and her helmet in the other, Priss finally emerged from the dressing room. 

"So do you want to try on something else?" a pleasant voice asked her. 

Priss turned and looked at Sylvie with a totally new sense of awareness of just who, or more precisely what, was before her. And the stare was returned without a blink. 

After a moment, she handed over the dress and said, "No thanks. There's nothing here I want to wear." 

* * * * * 

Priss leaned against her bike and stared out at the waterfront, as the cool breeze from Tokyo Bay washed over her. It was also one of the few scenic views in the day where she didn't have to look directly at any construction sites filled with boomers, at least not up close. 

She knew vaguely in the back of her mind that she should call Leon to find out if he secured a place for them to stay for the night, but she didn't feel any rush about it at the moment. 

She pressed her fingertips at her chest and noticed that her pulse hadn't slowed down. She couldn't tell if it was from excitement, panic, both, or even something else altogether. 

It was as if her heart was begging her to be let loose, to feel... _real_ again. And she didn't dare let it because she knew it would be a point of no return. 

-- End Chapter 35 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	37. 9/3 - Outside of the Box

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 3: Casualties 

Chapter 36: Outside of the Box 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Have you started feeling hungry yet?" Sylia asked as she studied the readings on the monitor before her. 

"I believe so. My mind has been preoccupied with thoughts of food when I am not currently engaged in a task, and sometimes even then," Sylvie responded as she sat perfectly still on the examination table while cables connected her to Sylia's terminal. 

"I'll be certain to have Henderson set an extra plate at the table for you tonight. Once you've eaten, you'll probably notice an increase in your energy level as well since you'll eventually be weaned off of the direct electrical feeds we're giving you each night. You'll also start to feel signs of sleepiness and exhaustion. Apart from the duplication of human cycles, it's also your body's way of regulating your energy consumation and expenditure. I think we'll hold off on the next set of enhancements until we see how well you adapt to these." 

"I will let you know the results.... Have you uncovered any evidence yet to help with the Plaza Slaughter?" 

Sylia shook her head. "No, not yet. Even though we still have quite a bit of code to wade our way through, I have the sneaking suspicion that you were purged of such data before you were deployed on your last mission. But I don't want to tell Daley anything until I'm absolutely certain there's nothing we can do. Capturing you was an extreme chance we knew we were undertaking from the beginning." 

"If you knew beforehand that I did not hold any evidence, would you have captured me alive?" Sylvie asked. 

"No," the woman admitted. "I would have destroyed you upon sight. You were there to kill one of my best friends. That's not something I tolerate." 

"Yet, you let me move about your home even though you have not yet been able to purge or override my assassination order. Why is that?" 

"Consider it a conditional sort of trust," Sylia answered. "I never hid the fact from you about the kill-switch I've implanted around your core should you take any action that betrays my trust in you. I do believe you are potentially trustworthy, given where you are in your personal evolution. However, you have that post-hypnotic suggestion that is still extremely dangerous. That's why I can't let you leave unsupervised or gain access to any information which would result in your knowing where Linna currently is." 

The boomer was quiet for the longest time before asking, "If this assassination command were no longer an issue, then would you remove the kill-switch?" 

Sylia frowned and said sincerely, "I would like to say yes. But I can't commit to that right now." 

"I see... So what are you going to do about Priss?" 

"Do?" the woman responded without looking up from studying the monitor. "I can't force her to fight again. Though it was nice to see some fire in her again.... And what gets me is that I agree with her, but there's a problem that I don't have the luxury to ignore. I'll just have to find some way to work around her and hope in the mean time that nothing else happens before I'm healed well enough that I can return to active duty." 

"Nigel won't like that. Even if you are fully healed." 

Sylia looked up sharply. 

"He won't," the boomer stated. "He frowns when you mention going into combat the same way he frowns when you flinch from your wound." 

Sylia let out a deep sigh and then said, "How do you feel about running the shop by yourself today?" 

"It was challenging but fascinating," Sylvie admitted. "I've found that people's expressions and body language don't always match their words." 

"Well, you are in a high priced clothing store. That's to be expected," Sylia said with wry grin. "Did anyone engage you in conversation for subjects other than clothes?" 

"Yes, several in fact. I was clearly an object of fascination to them. When I told them I was your cousin, they asked several more questions about myself, and about you as well. I think I was successful using your guide of being 'evasive yet flattering.'" 

"I couldn't have come up with better virtual socialization lessons for you. I'm glad you seem to be enjoying them." Sylia gingerly sat down in the nearest chair, wincing at the pain at her side, waiting for it to pass. 

"Your wound is getting worse," Sylia noted, her shifting gaze the only indication that she had been watching Sylia. "Returning to active duty status will become almost impossible if you do not take better care of yourself." 

A dark look passed over Sylia face as she regarded the boomer. "I suppose there is a reason why you pointed this out?" 

Sylvie actually paused for a moment. "Of the four Knight Sabers, Nene is the only one able to engage in combat should the need arise before the case is settled completely. Judging by your past comments, Nene was also the weakest fighter of the four of you. It would seem that your comfort level would increase tremendously if you had someone of her fighting skills or greater also currently available for duty. Is there a particular reason why you have not considered me as a viable candidate?" 

Sylia's eyebrows were practically at the top of her forehead at Sylvie's words. 

She cleared her throat and then said, "Well, there's a very good chance you would be fighting your sisters. How would you feel about that?" 

"If you mean the other prototypes, I have no loyalty to them. I do not consider us to be part of the same group anymore," the boomer answered. "And my past actions are not actions that I am proud of. I would look at this as an opportunity for redemption." 

"How do I know you won't betray us?" 

"You ensure my compliance to your wish that I remain within the confines of this building with the kill-switch you have implanted in me," Sylvie pointed out matter-of-factly. "I would assume the same insurance would be available and used if I was elsewhere doing other things." 

"But do you _want_ to do it?" 

Sylvie turned and looked at her. "You are helping me to achieve sentience and freedom. I wish to return the favor by assisting with a need you have... If having me as regular member would be unsuitable and too risky, then perhaps at least consider me as a last resort option should something happen before you can get another member available." 

Sylia studied the boomer from head to toe with a new analytical eye as the words turned in her mind. A small smile actually curled Sylia's mouth. 

The boomer waited patiently for a verbal response. 

Then Sylia chuckled and commented, "Well, we never played by the rules before. Why should we start now? Let's see how you are in the simulator booth, if it'll even work on you...." 

-- End Chapter 36 -- 

-- End Part 3: Casualities -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	38. 9/8 - Home

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 37: Home 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"I hadn't had so much fun since I was a kid!" Leon bragged as they sat around the dinner table, Priss on his left, Daley on his right, and Yuuji across from him. "I had that stage equipment conquered by the first week. And I now know every trick fans use to try to get backstage. If I ever wanted to go into the music industry professionally, I felt like I could do _anything,_ short of singing or playing." 

"Well, you came pretty close when Jaid got food poisoning in New York," Priss teased over a sip of sake. 

Leon blushed and said, "Yeah, luckily you guys decided to go acoustic that night instead." 

"It sounds like you guys traveled all over," Daley commented as he refilled everyone's cups from the sake bottle. "I have to admit I'm envious since I've never left Japan." 

"Well, we stuck primarily to English speaking countries since none of us had any language knowledge beyond high school English," Leon admitted. "But some of the other European countries weren't so difficult since we ended up getting local groupies to help us out… But you're right in that it was wild. We'd stay in a city and play gigs for as long as things were hot for us and we found the place interesting. Then we'd move and go to the next town." 

"Yeah," Priss added, "Because we have more of a niche following, it allowed us to pick and choose where we wanted to be and how long we wanted to stay. We had complete freedom and control since we were doing it on our own and weren't sponsored by some promotional or record company. Not that we're popular enough to get support for such a long tour. We did release our music discs on our own label after all." 

"So are you planning to play clubs now that you're here?" Yuuji asked. Dressed in his preferred attire of slacks, shirt and tie, he was a short, wiry guy with wavy dark brown hair and a mustache. 

"That's the plan. Hate to waste an opportunity to play for our old fans since we're here." 

"Well, let me know when you've booked a gig. I'll get someone in the entertainment section to do a write-up for you guys," he offered. 

"Hey, thanks." 

"Are you planning only a couple of gigs, or are you guys here to stay?" Daley asked, wanting an answer to the multi-million yen question. 

Leon looked hesitantly at Priss as she took another sip. 

"So, uh, are we?" he prompted her. 

She looked at him for a moment. "Do you want to be?" 

He suddenly lit up with a broad smile and said, "Well, yeah! You know I do!" 

She broke out into a mild smile of her own. "So I guess we are." 

"Great!" Leon exclaimed happily as he put his arms around her shoulder for a celebratory hug. 

Priss didn't say anything else as she took another sip. 

* * * * * 

Priss stood out on the balcony, staring down at the Tokyo nightlights from the high-rise apartment. Her temporary buzz from sake was gone, and she wasn't in the mood to prolong it. She pressed her fingertips to her heart and noticed the beats were at her regular pulse. She let out a deep sigh. 

"They've got a gorgeous apartment," Leon said as he appeared from behind her, wrapping her up in his arms. "It's nice to feel like I'm in a real home again." 

She leaned back against him and said, "But it's not yours." 

"Since we're back, we could get one." 

"True." 

They stood in silence for a moment. She could feel the tension in him that showed that he really wanted to ask a question but was searching for a way to phrase it. She knew it was a matter of waiting for him to get it out. 

"So, um," Leon began, "did you see Sylia?" 

"Yeah." 

"And are you going to… uh, _sing_ for her again?" he asked, ever aware of the high probability that the bugging in the apartment also extended out to the balcony. 

"Told her I wasn't interested in the new lyrics." 

Leon let out an audible sigh as he squeezed her a little tighter and kissed her neck. 

They stood in silence again before he said, "'This is such a beautiful night for him to propose to me again, so why hasn't he?' At least, I hope that's what you're thinking." 

"... Could be." 

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. "You did say to wait until we were home before we think about the future." 

Priss looked at the diamond band held out before her. She pressed her fingertips against her heart and felt the racing pulse. She said softly, "Yeah, I did say that, didn't I?" 

"Twice, in fact." 

She turned around in his arms so she could face him. "Hoping three's the charm?" 

She could feel his heart race as his nervousness started to become evident. 

"Um, yeah. But this time it feels pretty right…. I hope… I'd really be honored if you'd be willing to become Priss McNichol." He felt her tense in his arms so he quickly added, "Or I could become Leon Asagiri. Either one works for me." 

She smiled, took the ring and put it on. She then reached up to pull the very relieved man down for a kiss. 

* * * * * 

"Looks like he did it," Daley mused since he was able to see the couple on the balcony from his place at the sink. "And successfully this time." 

He was quite aware of the previous failed attempts, having receiving long, venting voicemails and emails from Leon each time she had turned him down. 

Yuuji peered over his shoulder as he continued to dry a plate. "Hmmm. This should be interesting." 

"Meaning?" the detective asked, cued by the tone and by the fact that Yuuji was a damn good investigative reporter who was more observant than most. 

Yuuji then shrugged and said, "I admit I don't know her, but I do know how to read people, even the most emotionally guarded. And her smile doesn't seem to reach her eyes. It could be just me though…. However, I'd wager 5000 yen it's not going to be a smooth road to the altar, if they even get that far. It'll give you a chance to get even for the last bet you lost." 

Daley frowned as he stared at the silhouette of the kissing couple. 

"So are you going to take me up on it?" Yuuji said with a playful nudge. 

He turned his attention back to washing the dishes and said, "I'll pass, thanks." 

-- End Chapter 37 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	39. 9/8 - Coming Back

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 38: Coming Back 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

At first all she knew was the feeling of being... aware. 

Then she started hearing the voices. They were very faint, some familiar and some not. Just hearing them reaffirmed her growing hope that she was indeed alive. 

The voices came and went, with long periods of silence in between. 

Then she heard the sounds of a piano. _A radio? Or a CD?_ They were gentle and delicate melodies which came to her in bits and pieces. 

Then there was more silence followed by more voices, though stronger now even if the words were still indecipherable. 

More silence and more melodies from a piano. _That's nice. Please don't stop._

Then Linna finally opened her eyes to blackness. It had to be night - she hoped, fighting down the fear of blindness. However, she felt safe and protected. 

She was awake long enough to confirm that she was indeed alive, that she breathed and could feel, even if she was numb in certain places and unusually restricted in others. And that music was still there, faint but soothing. It was enough to cause her to smile as she drifted back to sleep. 

She opened her eyes again to see a sunlit and unfamiliar ceiling before her, at which she breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't blind after all. Then it dawned on her that this certainly didn't look like the harsh lights and stark ceiling of the hospital room she last remembered being in. 

"Ah, you _are_ awake!" a cheerful female but completely unfamiliar voice declared from off to the side. "The monitors did record some notable readings last night." 

From her restricted position on her back, Linna remained quiet as she looked at the elegantly furnished room that didn't match the hospital bed she found herself lying in. Then she became aware of the fact that she wasn't able to move because of the casts on her right limbs, braces on her left ones and around her neck, and the bandages wrapped around various places. And parts of her just felt numb and unresponsive in general, at least during this initial moment of awaking. 

Finally the friendly and kind face of an elderly woman came into view. "Hello, Linna. I'm Mrs. Takeuchi," she introduced herself. "Can you speak?" 

Linna opened her mouth to respond, but then only a very hoarse whisper came out of her. 

Realizing that she was parched more than anything else, the elderly woman held up a glass of water with a straw to allow the patient to take a sip before trying again. 

Clearing her throat, Linna answered softly, "Yes. Am I still in the hospital?" 

Mrs. Takeuchi let out a tinkling laugh that reminded the younger woman of her late grandmother. "No, not at all, my dear. You are in a very safe and private home. In fact, why don't you work on refocusing yourself while I go fetch Mistress Reika to tell her the good news." 

Even in her disoriented state, Linna's eye widened but all she said was "Oh. All right." 

* * * * * 

"-- I am glad I had a chance to say good-bye before we left!" Irene declared as she sat in the chair by Linna's bedside. "I was afraid you wouldn't wake for some time." 

"Are you ever coming back?" Linna asked, glad that they had propped up the head of the bed so she could easily look around the room even though her movements were restricted because of the neck brace. She felt much stronger and more coherent than before. 

"Eventually, although I can't say when. Definitely for the wedding, whenever we can finally plan another date for it," her friend answered. Then she looked at the open doorway and a frown crossed her face for some strange reason. "Speaking of weddings, Linna, you should know -" 

"--Yes, Mrs. Takeuchi gave her the big seal of approval!" a smiling Reika declared into the cell phone as she walked in. "It's just a matter of time for her to heal enough so Kou can get his hands on her!" 

Irene shut her mouth and let her sister command the center of attention, since it was now just the three of them in the room. 

Reika walked over to the bed and said to Linna, "It's Sylia. Do you feel up to talking to her?" 

"Of course!" Linna said eagerly and then realized that she didn't have a free hand that could hold a phone even though it was one with a display screen. 

Prepared for this, Reika pulled out an earplug from her skirt pocket, connected it to the phone and gently slipped the bud into Linna's ear, causing the other woman to blush despite herself. Then Reika held the phone up before her and proceeded to have a low conversation with Irene so that the patient and her caller could have some amount of privacy. 

"Hello, Girl!" Sylia greeted merrily, the relief and joy clearly evident. "How do you feel?" 

"Like I tried a jump from a third story window without my hardsuit," Linna answered good-naturedly, trying her best not to be too distracted by Reika's nearness in general. 

Ever since the news of her return to consciousness an hour ago, Linna had only seen Reika once before, which was right after Mrs. Takeuchi went to fetch her. They had a pleasant and light conversation, especially since they weren't alone because various members of the staff were milling about the room and medical equipment. If there was anything significant and meaningful in that quick conversation for Linna, it was the extremely pleased look in Reika's eyes as they regarded each other. 

"I felt like I used up my fair share of miracles in that fall. I can't believe I've been out for three days," Linna continued, trying to focus on the conversation at hand. Sylia was one person she didn't dare talk to without her full concentration. 

"Well, had that happened fifty years ago, you would have been crippled for life. Thankfully, you had some circumstances in your favor," Sylia commented. 

"Reika also mentioned you did capture Sylvie. Did you get the information from her?" 

"Not yet. We've downloaded most of her files. She's a spider web of encryptions and old algorithms. The biggest problem was that as her creators upgraded her, they never cleaned out the old bits of programming that aren't useful anymore and -" 

"Okay, Sylia, I'm still disoriented without the painkillers," Linna confessed rather sheepishly. "Summarization would really help right now." 

"Oops, sorry. Let's just say we've got a lot of data to wade through before, or even if, we find something substantial Daley can use as evidence. It's probably just as well that you're going to be there while you recover... if that's all right with you," Sylia said with a sly smile. 

Linna glanced up at Reika's profile and then said, "I'm fine with that. It'll be reassuring to have some consistency after all this. This is the second time that I've woken up in a strange bed under strange circumstances." 

Sylia giggled and said, "Well, when you're able to be mobile, I suggest you ask for a tour of Reika's home, especially her bedroom. That way you won't be surprised when you wake up _there."_

Linna felt her face turn completely beet red and her eyes bug out, a reaction that was quite noticeable to Irene, who was facing her. 

Reika honestly hadn't been paying attention to the call because she had been watching her sister. So when Irene gave a curious glance at Linna, Reika's own interest was piqued and she turned to look at the woman in question. 

Under the two quizzical gazes, Linna would have tried to sink into the bed if only she wasn't bound by braces and bandages. "Th--That's not something I'm, uh, worried about," she managed to squeak into the phone. 

Although extremely curious, Reika thought Linna looked cute with her blush. After a pause that showed Linna was listening to Sylia's response, the blush got even redder, and Linna gave her hostess a nervous glance before dropping her gaze completely. 

Reika then knew something was up. She snatched the phone and earplug back and demanded, "Just what are you saying to her?!" 

Sylia was now laughing unrepentantly on the other end as she said, "My dear Reika, all I did was point out to Linna how much you love having a beautiful woman at your fingertips!" 

Both Linna and Irene watched in amazement as Reika's face now turned completely red as an appalled expression dropped her jaw open. 

**_"SYLIA!"_**

"Look at the time! I've got to go!" the other woman blurted quickly though merrily, her impish smirk never fading. "Tell our Little Linna that she should be expecting a guest very soon. In fact, she's probably already there knowing how _she_ drives. Bye, darling!" 

Reika stared at the now quiet phone and decided that she was going to kick Sylia's ass the next time she saw her. 

Meanwhile, Irene glanced at both blushing women and mused that she just might get to like Sylia after all. 

A soft tapping at the open doorway attracted the three women's attention to the young servant girl. 

"Yes, Akiko?" Reika prompted, instantly recapturing her composure. 

She bowed and said, "Mistress Reika, I'm sorry but there is a young lady at the front gate who is insisting on being allowed to visit Mistress Linna even though she's not on the approved guest list. She's very, um, _adamant_ about being let in." 

Linna felt her heart jump hopefully. "Did she say what her name is?" 

"Yes, ma'am. It's Priss Asagiri." 

-- End Chapter 38 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	40. 9/8 - Time Flies

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 39: Time Flies 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Oh wow," Linna said softly as she looked at the ring dangling from the necklace chain before her. She couldn't think of anything else to say. She shouldn't have been so surprised, and in fact she had expected this long ago. But to actually see and hear it was another thing. 

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Priss admitted as she slipped on the necklace so it hung from her neck. She seemed relaxed as she sat in the chair next to the bed even though she was in her full biker garb, with her helmet at her feet. 

"But you're not actually wearing it," Linna noted curiously. 

"Doesn't fit well with biker gloves. Of course, I can't complain to _you_ about bad fitting clothing," the singer mused with a pointed look at her friend's current wardrobe of a hospital smock and frame of metal braces and plastic bindings. 

Linna offered a weak smile and said, "I'm just happy to be awake right now. This is a completely new experience for me since I've never even had a single broken bone or been seriously ill. I feel numb all over but I think it's from the painkiller they gave me this morning." 

"So when are you expected to get back on your feet?" 

"Well, from what they've told me, I'm healing incredibly fast. Apparently Mrs. Takeuchi, my nurse, is helping me along with some Ancient Chinese medicines and techniques. They're thinking they should be able to take off the neck brace and help me to sit up in a couple of days. And that's as much as anyone's willing to project at this point. However, they did tell me that a typical person would probably take five or six months to completely recover from everything I went through. From where I'm currently at, I'm already a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. Most of it's due to the fact that I had very little spinal or cranial damage." 

Priss frowned slightly and said, "Still, even just one month is a long time. I know when I suffered through my broken leg, it drove me nuts until I was completely healed.." 

"Yeah, well, they said a strong desire determines the best chance of a speedy and full recovery. When I spend more time being stir-crazy than sleeping is something I'm supposed to look forward to. Plus Sylia and Reika have made arrangements for me to get started on physical therapy as soon as I'm able to move any part of me, as well as cosmetic surgery to remove the scars." 

"Reika? She's the one who escorted me here, right?" 

"Yes," her friend answered softly. 

Instead of continuing the conversation, Priss paused and looked around the lushly decorated room, which was quite cozy, with the door closed for privacy. She then looked out the window at the third story view over the lush grounds. A quirk of a smile curled her lips. 

Seeing this reaction, Linna promptly asked, "What is it?" 

"Just never would've thought Sylia had a thing for a Yakuza princess." 

Linna's eyes immediately bugged out as she blurted in a horrified whisper, _"What?! _ Rei - They - This isn't a Yakuza home!" 

Priss gave her the Linna-the-Country-Hick look and responded flatly in her regular volume "This is _too_ a Yakuza home! Any native of Tokyo knows who the Changs really are! As a kid, my friends and I used to drive through this neighborhood because the main street was good for country bike rides. And we knew whose compound this place belonged to. So when I pulled up to the gate just now, I almost called Sylia to make sure I had the right address!" 

"That doesn't mean anything!" Linna retorted stubbornly. "If you never knocked on the door, then how do you know what kind of people lived here? I've only met wonderful and kind people here!" 

Priss was silent for a moment and then said, "Fine. There's nothing that says Yakuza can't be wonderful and kind if they're not muscling you." 

There was a moment of silence before Linna asked seriously, "So, have you set a date for the wedding?" 

"No," she answered with a shake of her head. "Too much to do right now. We only got back to Tokyo yesterday, after all. Leon's checking things out at this Neo Tech Crimes Division with Daley and Nene. I'm killing time writing new songs while waiting for the rest of the band to scrounge some airfare to get over here. I'm also planning to talk to the current managers of Hot Legs about getting regular gigs there, both for exposure and for money. And we haven't even got a permanent place to live yet." 

"Are you planning to have children?" Linna's curiousity was definitely in overdrive now. 

Priss was quiet as she now stared out the window. She answered softly, "He really wants to, especially since he'll be turning thirty pretty soon. Keeps talking about how he wants to be young enough to play ball with our son.... Could you picture me pushing a stroller?" 

Staring at the empty air before her, Linna was quiet for a long time before she answered, "I have to be able to picture you pregnant first. And I'm having a hard time with that one." 

Priss slid her gaze to study Linna's profile out of the corner of her eye. Then she said, "I really missed you." 

Linna blinked at this statement and responded hastily, "Well, yeah, I missed you too. We never really hung out since Galatea." 

"No, we didn't. And I'm sorry about that..." Priss looked back at the window view before her and said, "When I saw that email from Nene about you being in the hospital, I was terrified that I would never be able to talk to you again. And that's not even counting the fact that I had been away from Tokyo for so long. It was my fault that I acted like you'd always be there. Some best friend I am." 

Linna would have shrugged if she could. "Things happen. I was in Osaka, too, so it's not as if things were normal for any of us during the past few years anyway. And I couldn't just quit my job to go be a roadie for you guys...." 

The singer chuckled and said, "If you had, you would have spent over three years on the road with some very rowdy macho guys in rather cramped living conditions. I don't know if you'd want to be subjected to that after Galatea." 

"... So if I hadn't been injured, would you ever have come back to Tokyo?" 

Priss was quiet again. "I would have tried to postpone it for as long as possible," she said simply. "Some dreams don't always jive well with real life." 

Linna frowned at the cryptic statement, knowing there was a deeper meaning there that was just beyond her reach. 

"So," Priss suddenly said, taking a lighter tone. "Is there anything you want me to do for you?" 

"Well, if my apartment wasn't off limits to everyone, I'd ask you to water my plants or feed my pets if I had any," Linna joked. "Other than that, I can't think of anything else I need. I seem to have everything here." 

"Oh." 

"But - " Linna added quickly, as she saw potential disappointment in Priss's eyes, "Company always helps - especially since I know Nene is forbidden to visit or call because she's probably being watched too. And perhaps... well, any chance you could sing for me?" 

Priss gave a pleased smile and said, "I'll bring my guitar over tomorrow and try out some new songs for you." 

"I'd like that," her friend answered genuinely. 

Then a stray thought occured to Priss. She leaned back in her chair casually and said, "I've told you what big stuff I've been up to the past few years. What have you been up to?" 

"Not much really. Missing the Knight Sabers. Moving back to Tokyo. A couple of dating situations that didn't end well. Nothing to make any big announcements about...." Linna answered as stared at the closed door for a moment. Then she sighed and said, "I've missed being a Knight Saber so much and yet the first time there's a need, I'm the one who had to deal with it minus the hard suit." 

".... There's nothing else to tell?" Priss asked expectantly. 

Starting to become a little puzzled by the persistence, Linna met her gaze and answered, "No, nothing. No happily ever after romance that's comparable to you and Leon." 

Priss frowned slightly, but not at the statement. "You sure there's nothing I should know even if it's just... gossipy stuff?" 

Linna narrowed her eyes as she realized that there was a distinct hint of expectancy behind those words, as if Priss was trying to pull out information from her that she already knew. It suddenly dawned on her what it could be. "Oh geez! Did Nene tell you about my make-out session with Sylia?!" 

".... Excuse me?" 

It took only a second for Linna to realize that this was news to Priss. She closed her eyes and thought _Shit!_

* * * * * 

Reika sat at her desk in her office and stared blankly at the terminal before her. All productive concentration was out the window for as long as Linna had her visitor. And it didn't help that she was directly underneath Linna's room and could hear laughing coming through the ceiling above. 

A soft tapping came from the closed door. 

"Come in." 

Mrs. Takeuchi entered with a tea tray. "I thought you could use this to help with some of your tension." 

Reika grimaced and said, "Am I that obvious?" 

"To me. Perhaps to Kou. After all, he does take after me in that way...." 

"I feel so... _petty._ I know I have absolutely no right to be jealous but...." 

As she put the tray down on the desk, the elderly woman smiled and said, "Reika, fighting your heart only creates more trouble. It's best to just accept whatever your heart wants to feel and proceed from there. It may not necessarily make you feel better now, but it allows for clearer thought in the long run.... I did interrupt them to see if Miss Priss wishes to stay for dinner, however, she declined because she has other plans." 

"Good," Reika blurted, and then blushed when she realized how that sounded. "I'm sure she's doing wonders for Linna's spirits," she said, trying her best to be contrite and sincere. "And that's a good thing for someone who's healing." 

Mrs. Takeuchi came up behind her and tenderly stroked her long hair, pleased to have the young woman lean back against her. "Don't forget, my dear, that you need healing too." 

Reika let out a deep sigh as she tried to focus on the woman's motherly caresses. 

* * * * * 

"... And this is the private line to call," Reika said as she handed her business card to Priss as the two of them stood on the driveway next to the waiting motorcycle. "I'll make certain your name is added to the visitor's list so the earlier confusion won't happen again. We also do request that you call beforehand to notify us of when you're coming over. The guards aren't too keen on unexpected visitors for obvious reasons." 

"Thanks," Priss said flatly as she sat down on her bike. 

The two women stared at each other for a moment, each with clearly critical thoughts. It was clear that they each had now figured out how important Linna was to the other. 

"Do you have anything you wish to ask?" Reika prompted seriously. 

"Yeah," Priss said as she paused in pulling on her helmet. "Linna finally told me about how you and her. So I'm curious to know: Are you doing this because you truly want what's best for Linna? Or are you just trying to make up for a past mistake?" 

Reika didn't react at first, but then broke out into a humorless smile as she responded, "I could ask the same of you." 

Priss narrowed her eyes and wordlessly pulled on her helmet as she prepared to drive away. 

-- End Chapter 39 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	41. 9/8 - Setting The Stage

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 40: Setting The Stage 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Sir, I've received word that the special boomers have been put into position and have responded positively to our test signals," Madigan reported as she scanned her data pad. The two of them were once again in the privacy of Quincy's office. "The crew just needs the word from you of when to start." 

"Oh, tell them... 1:23 p.m. tomorrow should be the test beginning time," Quincy said as he glanced at his calendar on his own data pad. "The rest of us should all be in the middle of the all day company meeting at that time, ensuring minimal risk of Genom employees accidentally being in the test area." 

"Yes, sir." 

"By the way, Madigan, I just got off the phone with Largo Watanabe. He's going to place an order for one of the current models after all. Make certain he gets the first one rolled off the assembly line, so to speak." 

"Yes, sir. Do you think they're going to do their own tests on it?" 

"Oh, no doubt about it. And I don't think they'll get very far beyond the performance basics. After all, top level boomer technology as well as encrypted programming expertise is needed to crack open the deeper secrets of our boomers. And the only team remotely qualified just happens to be employed with Genom," he said with a smirk. "Did anything come up yet on your search about Mei Asakawa?" 

"Some interesting pieces, sir. She is the youngest of seven children of a Japanese industrialist, and apparently showed incredible natural martial arts abilities as a teenager, winning first place in tournaments around the country in karate and tae kwon do. The only other interesting fact about her from her youth was that she attended the prestigious all-girls Shimizu Academy in the same class as Reika Chang and Ms. Watanabe, who was their class president. It's very possible that's how she originally met Ms. Watanabe, whom she has been living with in Rome for the past five years." 

"'Living with' as in 'intimately'?" Quincy guessed. 

"There's nothing confirming such a relationship such as domestic partnership documents but it's very possible," Madigan said. 

"Is it just me, or do we keep coming across a lot of lesbians these days?" he mused out loud as he scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Ah well. I guess that's what happens when you send these rich girls to be schooled in an environment devoid of boys." 

"I wouldn't know, sir," Madigan answered with her utmost patience. 

"Sorry, I'm digressing. -- Anything else about her?" 

"Actually, no, and that's the odd part. In the time between graduating high school and moving in with Ms. Watanabe, there are absolutely no records of her. Not even residential addresses." 

"Hmm. Well, if her connection to the Watanabes goes as far back as high school, then it's possible for her to go under the radar of the public and private records. Still, she was there at the demo as a boomer combat specialist. That's pretty odd given that she's got a martial arts background. I would think those two forms of combat would be about as opposite from each other as one could get." 

"Should I tell the team to continue their research on her?" 

He shook his head. "I doubt we're going to find anything else given who she's connected to. What about Yoshiko Watanabe? Anything else on her?" 

Madigan scanned the data for a moment and said, "She moved to Rome shortly after graduating high school, and has maintained that city as her primary address since then. She is extremely well connected internationally in the darker side of her family's business and it's rumored that her brother rarely makes big decisions without consulting her first. She has quite a reputation as an expert in combat technology, a superb marksman in a variety of weapons, and a master in various forms of hand-to-hand combat. Like Asakawa, she showed exceptional talent in various forms of martial arts, including traditional weaponry. However, our research teams couldn't find anything concrete to substantiate her modern weaponry skills or how she got her training and knowledge to begin with." 

"Well, it's not as if there are college courses that one can take for credit, yet people somehow get trained in these things. Especially if they're connected to the mob." Quincy smirked and said, "A reputation in those circles is sometimes scarier than the real thing. At the demonstration, did she seem knowledgeable to you?" 

"Yes, very much so. Asakawa as well even though her questions were rather limited." 

"Well, just add them to the list of people we need to be aware of," he said as he stood to get himself a drink from the bar. A long time work relationship kept him from offering anything to Madigan because he knew she was not a drinker of alcohol. "What else do we have updates on?" 

"Let's see... The scanning for Sylvie has turned up nothing, which could further support the theory that she's not local, and if she is, she isn't functional. We are now putting the scanners on auto-alert so we can re-deploy our staff to other things. The other girls and the male prototype are progressing well. And the production of the version one models for customer orders is on track. I think the biggest project at the moment is our pending Knight Sabers test." 

Quincy smiled as he took a sip of scotch and said, "Yes, it should flush them out. After all, downtown Tokyo in a mid-weekday offers a lot of innocents that need to be protected and rescued. It's an embellishment on their previous M.O., but it should do the trick." 

"What if they never show up? Should I give a target time to the staff of when to call off the test?" 

Quincy mulled it over for a moment and then said, "When they destroy each other, or when their batteries run out. Whichever happens first will do." 

-- End Chapter 40 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	42. 9/8 - If Only

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 41: If Only 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Reika once again found herself staring at the ceiling in her nightly battle with insomnia. She truly missed the days when she could lie down and practically be asleep within five minutes of her head hitting the pillow - providing of course the purpose was to sleep. 

She knew her sleeping problem started long before the arrival of Linna at her home. In fact, it started the night her parents died. 

In the beginning, she tried to act as if nothing was wrong even though she was conscious of the fact that the lack of sleep was affecting her appearance and ability to function. Now she spent the long trips in planes and limos catching up on sleep as best she could. Of course, it was never as satisfying as a full night's rest, but she knew she had reached a point where she was a beggar who couldn't be a chooser. 

With a sigh of defeat, Reika got up from the bed, slipped on her bathrobe and left the room to indulge in what had become her nightly ritual of a walk around the house and the outside grounds. It was too late to indulge her only relaxing past time, which was playing the grand piano in the living room. She stepped out into the hallway and immediately found herself looking at the closed door of Linna's room. 

She quietly opened the door and listened for any sounds of the other woman actually being awake. Finding none, she slipped in, closed the door behind her. Guided by the dim light of a thin beam of moonlight through the cracks in the curtains, Reika took a seat in the chair by the bed, finding some comfort in Linna's nearness even if the patient didn't know she was there. This had become part of her ritual too. 

While she was immensely pleased that Linna had finally woken up that day and showed no signs of brain damage, she now knew the clock was really ticking down to when Linna would finally leave. And according to extremely positive reports from Mrs. Takeuchi, it might be sooner than planned, even if the time still measured in months. 

Reika let out a small sigh and then stood. She gently kissed Linna on the forehead and went to the door to proceed with her walk. She started to turn the handle when a soft voice said, "Have you been doing that every single night?" 

Letting out an audible sigh at being caught, Reika sheepishly smiled to herself and kept the door closed. 

"How long have you been awake?" she asked. 

"For a while," Linna said. "My body wants to sleep but my mind is still going over everything that happened today." 

"I'm sorry for disturbing you…. Do you want me to leave?" 

"No." 

Without turning on the lights, Reika went back to her spot on the chair. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you." 

"It made me feel better. But then it didn't." 

"I know what you mean," Reika admitted softly. 

"So what were you thinking about when you sat there before?" 

"About the last time I truly felt happy. Which was when we were out on the balcony." 

"… I'm about two seconds away from crying and I know it has nothing to do with the fall." 

"Sorry… About everything. I treated you so poorly that I'm honestly surprised that you don't seem to hate me." 

Linna let out a sigh and said, "If I wasn't in a general self-pity mode, I probably would have. But even then it would have been motivated by selfishness. I know you couldn't help what happened… I do have one question though, would you have ever told me about your engagement?" 

Reika's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but then relaxed when she realized she shouldn't be. "Did Irene tell you?" 

"No, Mrs. Takeuchi did. Or rather, she told me that my being here seems to cheer you up, especially with all of your pressures, the engagement included. I don't know much more than that." 

"His name is Densuke," Reika explained softly. "He lives in an apartment in downtown Tokyo to better enjoy the night life, so I doubt you'll ever see much less meet him. Not that I would do that to you. He has a particular weakness for pretty girls and I would strangle him if he ever made a pass at you." 

"Then why are you marrying him?" 

Reika shrugged even though she knew Linna couldn't see her. "Since I knew I had to get married to continue the family line, I went for the easiest option, which was him. When I was five years old, it was clear that my parents didn't want to have anymore children after Irene, and therefore would not have any boys to carry on the Chang lineage and responsibilities. So they made an arrangement with a long time ally of ours, a very prominent Japanese family who would be very familiar with our ways and responsibilities -" 

"Do you mean Yakuza?" 

Reika paused for a moment and then said, "I guess Yakuza would be the best description of what my family is, even though it's a little more complicated than that. Either way, that is Densuke's family background. Densuke himself was the youngest of four children, with two older brothers and a sister who were already groomed to continue their lineage. 

"From what my grandfather recently explained to me, my dad considered the arrangement with Densuke ideal in that as Densuke would not be a direct part of his family's lineage, it gave us more freedom to still groom me as the head and maintain the Chang autonomy from the Watanabes. Densuke's family agreed to the arrangement and he and I were engaged at the ripe old age of five. 

"And we stayed engaged until I fell in love with Sylia and had Dad break off the engagement when I was fifteen. Of course, I had no idea of the family politics behind the arrangement, nor would I have cared. All that mattered to me was that my life course didn't seem as set as I had been led to believe and I took that chance with as much gusto as I could. Apparently Dad took a lot of flack for breaking things off, but he never let me know how much. 

"Now, I'm back to where I was before, and it almost feels as if the past thirteen years were just some dream world that never really happened," she said with a sigh. "Sometimes I do wonder if things are predestined." 

"So you don't love him?" 

"Oh no," Reika stated adamantly. "If anything, I've always felt kind of sorry for him, when he wasn't annoying me at some level. But I figured, if I must marry someone, then at least let it be someone who fully understands it's purely for convenience and that there are no possibilities of me loving him. The rest of my family and household could never stand him. Irene hates his guts, and he lives in mortal fear of her. And I can keep Densuke under control for the most part, whereas someone else might get it into his head that he's more important than he really is. 

"I've recently gotten the impression that his own family considers him to be a loser. His siblings are an extremely different breed. -- Now they're undeniably Yakuza. -- And Densuke doesn't fit in with them anymore than he does with us. At least he has value over here, whereas he doesn't in his own family. It's a shame because he can be a really nice guy. It's rare but it's possible. I guess I'm just used to him." 

"It sounds as if, even if I was a man, I still wouldn't have had a chance because you never would have broken off your engagement if you hadn't met Sylia," Linna surmised softly. "It was a no-win situation to begin with." 

"I guess it does sound like that doesn't it?" Reika sadly admitted. "Maybe I was deluding myself about the whole thing after all." 

There was a moment of silence before Linna said, "Sylia didn't really talk that much about you, other than to make it clear that she really loved you back then. She never did say why you two broke up, and I never had the guts to ask. Was it because of the Knight Sabers? Or something else?" 

Reika sighed, having known and dreaded that this question would be asked. "It was a culmination of a lot of things. I think the best way to summarize it is that she realized before I did that our relationship was perfect as long as we never had to deal with the rest of the world. She began planning the Knight Sabers long before we graduated high school. And when she started working with Nigel, well… that was pretty much the nail in the coffin when combined with everything else going on at the time." 

_"She had an affair on you?!" _Linna blurted, clearly surprised. 

"No, I don't believe she did -- at least _now_ I don't," she said. "I wasn't quite so gracious back then. But the attraction and intellectual compatibility were obvious from day one. It was my first time to realizehow poorly I handle jealousy. By then it was also clear that I couldn't handle her near accidents in testing her hardsuits, so when real battle dangers came around, I was a mess with worry as well. And Sylia reacted by reverting to the more stubborn and uncompromising side of her nature - I assure you she's mellowed out quite a bit compared to the way she was back thing. Unfortunately, the one thing that was never in doubt was how perfectly matched we were in terms of raging tempers. Poor Jill and Mei probably looked forward to the battles after watching one of our fights. 

"And I honestly can't blame our break-up only on the Knight Sabers. Eventually my family issues would have become a breaking up point, I'm sure. Families like mine will ignore personal 'indiscretions' as long as the continuation and support of the family line is not compromised. " 

"But do you still love her?" Linna asked. 

"In my own way, Linna, I always will, but that doesn't mean I'm still pining over her romantically. She was my best friend, and that loss was more devastating… If anything, I should thank you for proving to me that it is possible to find someone that I felt like I wanted to trust again." 

There was a long silence, and Reika was afraid she said too much. 

When Linna finally spoke again, her voice was low but clearly shaky, "I, uh, think you'd better go or you won't get any sleep tonight. I shouldn't be keeping you up. After all, I can sleep all day tomorrow where, I'm sure you have things to do." 

Reika got the hint and stood, "You're right. I really should try to get some sleep. I'm sorry for disturbing you. And you should get some sleep, too." 

"I'm going to try…" 

'Me, too,' Reika thought as she finally left the room. 

-- End Chapter 41 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	43. 9/8 - Once A Cop

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 42: Once A Cop 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Man! You have no idea how much I missed good ramen!" Leon said between slurps as the three of them sat in the noodle bar perched on top of one of the tall buildings in the Tokyo shopping center. 

"Given that that's your third bowl, it seems pretty obvious to me," Daley commented with a quirk of a smile. "You and Nene should have an eating contest one of these days." 

The young woman in question frowned but didn't stop her own consumption of noodles. 

"I'm actually surprised that you want to get back to work so quickly, Leon," Daley continued. "I would've thought you'd want to spend some time getting settled." 

Leon shrugged, "I've spent the last three years feeling like I've been on vacation. I'm more than ready to come back to work. And I miss being a cop, and being around them. Musicians are a totally different breed, I tell ya. They're not bad guys, but there were times I felt like I had to turn a blind eye because they did things I used to arrest people for." 

"Like what?" Nene asked, her ears burning for gossip. 

"Oh, nothing big. Mild drugs. Some groupies who were questionably under-aged.... But I also miss the discipline and structure of a regular life. There would be weeks where none of us would wake before noon. And I missed having a real home. I actually wanted to come back a lot a long time ago, but Priss and the guys weren't there yet... Unless, Daley, you were making that crack so me and Priss'd get out of your home sooner." 

Daley laughed and waved away Leon's concern. "You've only been there a couple of nights. Yuuji and I are rarely home as it is. So it's nice for the place to be lived in for a change. And since Yuuji's going to an international press conference Sunday for a week in Los Angeles, I appreciate the company." 

Leon let out a sigh of relief and then looked at the view of the city before them. "You know, from up here, the city looks pretty recovered." 

"Yeah, the city planners learned their lessons from the earthquake rebuild and put them to good use. There's still a heck of a lot of construction going on, but it's more in the back street areas, away from the eyes of the tourists." 

"Hmm..." Then Leon looked at Nene and said, "So, kiddo, how are things going with you and Mackey? Have you taken him to meet your parents yet?" 

"A couple of times in the beginning. Mom really likes him," she said with a noticeably dark statement. "But she keeps bugging me to bring him out there, which I haven't in the past couple of years because, well... _you know._ Plus she keeps hinting about marriage." 

"What about this 'other woman' situation?" Daley asked, remembering their interrupted conversation from two days before. 

Nene glared at him just as Leon's expression turned to shock. 

"Is that little bastard fooling around on you?!" Leon declared angrily. 

_"No, no, no, Leo-Peo!"_ Nene said. "He just really gets along with their... cousin. I guess I'm just feeling a little insecure about how much they have in common. I don't think it's anything serious... At least it better not be." 

"Oh. Well, I'm sure he knows what a good thing he has with you." 

"So Leon," Nene said hesitantly, "Was Priss serious about turning down Sylia?" When Nene had received the news directly from Priss at dinner the night before, she was too stunned and disappointed to press the issue further, especially since they were in a public restaurant. 

Leon nodded. "Yeah, it seems so. Besides, it seems she would've been just on stand-by status, along with you. And I'm sure you can handle anything that comes up by yourself." 

Nene gave a weak smile but said nothing. 

"Say," Leon said to both of them, "I have to admit I'm really impressed with what I've seen of the Neo-Tech Crimes Division so far. It seems like a pretty slick operation so far." 

"Yeah, it is," Daley said proudly. "Unlike the A.D. Police where we were indirectly under Genom's thumb with Genom appointed leaders, we ironically have a lot more fire-power and autonomy being part of the regular Police Force. It's like we were able to pull together the best officers from both the A.D. Police as well as the regular police, and I think the top brass realize that. Both the public and our peers actually recognize us as a force to be reckoned with instead of uniformed clowns." 

"Well, that's certainly a refreshing change. So what kind of cases have you been working on? Besides this Plaza Slaughter, I mean." 

Daley smirked and said, "Well, Nene here just nabbed a 13 year old hacker who's been siphoning a hundred yen here and there from various bank accounts for the past three months. In the end, he managed to accumulate well over two hundred thousand yen." 

"Yeah," Nene said with a giggle, "when we got him, he says he was saving money to run away from home. His parents naturally claimed no knowledge, and we think it's true. He's in juvenile custody but the point is we stopped him. The work is a heck of a lot more fun than being a dispatcher, I can tell you that." 

Leon arched an eyebrow and said, "Well, that's certainly different from rogue boomers. Are the cases always so techie?" 

"No, not at all," Daley explained. "The latest one we're trying to get our arms around is this new drug that's been showing up. Its street name is 'warp' and apparently it's some sort of bio-engineered steroid that speeds up a body's functions including brain activity. It was initially used in gang fights where the drug gives people quicker reflexes, as well as with thieves and burglars who can run up to three times as fast as normal to keep from being caught. The thing about it is that it also burns out of the system so quickly that there's no trace of it, at least as of yet with the drug tests we currently use. 

"The draw-back is that it also burns out the drug users, sometimes pushing their body tolerances to a limit. Three people have already had heart attacks from an O.D. The problem is that this drug is strongly suspected of showing up in various athletic competitions, which as you can imagine is having impacts of international proportions. 

"So right now we're working with the Drug Enforcement Agency since they don't currently have the technology and people power to help track this down. Right now, we can't even tell where it's coming from and how it's being distributed. Given that most of the reported instances were in Tokyo, we're guessing the source is local. In fact, we were just starting to sink our teeth into it when the Plaza Slaughter happened." 

Leon looked noticeably intrigued as he asked, "So where are we -" 

**_"THERE'S ROGUE BOOMERS ON THE STREET!"_** a voice screamed from nearby just as the sound of large metal objects crashing against each other could be heard. 

The three officers exchanged a bewildered look and then immediately jumped from their seats to rush to the railing, along with the rest of the crowd. 

Ten stories below, in the midst of cars frozen in traffic, two large quad-pedal construction boomers were wrestling over a car with the pinchers on their arms. The driver frantically opened the door and fell out, clearly injuring his leg before limping away to the sidewalk. 

"They're _rogue?!"_ Leon exclaimed, perplexed at the sight. "They're not morphed or anything. They look like regular construction boomers!" 

"Morphed or not," Daley pointed out, "regular construction boomers don't act like that!" 

Just as the words left his mouth, one of the boomers succeeded in twisting the car free from the other and tossing it into a nearby shop window, hitting the handful of people who had been watching from inside. 

"Oh my God!" Nene blurted along with other horrified people in the crowd, as both boomers started to attack the other abandoned cars littering the street around them. 

"Don't those damn people know to get as far away as possible?!" Leon growled at the collecting crowd of onlookers on the sidewalks and in the building windows. 

Then remembering she could actually do something about it, Nene quickly blurted, "Um, got to go, guys!" 

She forced her way through the crowd, sometimes having to use elbows and kicks just to make it to the elevator. 

Taking the cue, Daley pulled out his phone and then paused, remembering that it was tapped. 

"Switch phones with me!" Daley whispered to Leon. "Call headquarters for back-up. I'll call Sylia." 

Leon frowned but did what he was told. 

-- End Chapter 42 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	44. 9/26 - Wild Card

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 43: Wild Card 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Priss checked to make sure her guitar case was firmly secured on her back as she readied herself for the bike ride ahead. She was about to slip on her helmet when her phone buzzed in her jacket pocket. She turned it on to find a frantic and almost haggard looking Sylia on the screen. 

"Priss, there are two rogue construction boomers downtown!" Sylia declared immediately. "They've already caused five injuries and three deaths. So are you in or out?... I'll call us even for the airplane tickets." 

Priss froze, immediately distracted by the suddenly wild rhythm of her heartbeat. 

Sylia frowned and then said, "Fine, sorry to dis-" 

"I'll do it," Priss suddenly blurted. "I'll head over right now." 

* * * * * 

Sylia sat in the main chair of the command booth overlooking the pit. Dressed in her bathrobe, she tried desperately to fight the leftover grogginess of the medicated sleep she had been awakened from. 

Down below, Nigel put the finishing touches on preparing the suit frames for use. Sylvie waited patiently off to the side as she watched the events unfold. 

Just then, the elevator door opened and Priss came running in, panting frantically in full biker garb with her guitar case still strapped to her back. 

"Nene's not here yet?!" Priss blurted as she pulled off her precious instrument and placed it down on the floor. Then she began to frantically tear off her clothes. 

"She should be here any moment now," Sylia answered through the speakerphone. "I don't want you to wait for her. These boomers have already torn up two blocks and killed two more people. Mackey's keeping watch in the monitor room since it's all over every news station in town, if not the world!" 

"I'm here! I'm here! -- _Priss!" _Nene blurted as she came running in. Even though the situation was dire, her happiness and relief was evident. 

Now naked and ready for the transformation, Priss ran up the ramp to the nearest suit frame. She was about step back in place when she froze. A wild panicked look contorted her features as her hand clutched at her chest. 

"Priss! Are you all right?!" Sylia demanded. 

Priss shook her head both in response and to snap back to her senses. "I'm fine!" she blurted angrily. 

"Priss, hurry up!" Nene declared as she now ran up the ramp to slip into the other suit frame. "These boomers aren't pulling punches!" 

Priss scrunched her face tightly in concentration as she took a deep breath and stepped into the metal contraption. 

Once both Knight Sabers emerged, Sylia explained, "These suits are pretty much the Galatea versions with some modifications. The most notable one is that our comm-links have two channels, the default is the one that's audible only by our team, and the other one can be heard by outsiders. They shouldn't feel different otherwise." 

"I know! I know!" Nene blurted as she rushed into the launch tube and was gone in a flash. 

"Priss! Are you certain you're okay?" Sylia persisted as she noticed how the woman paused a step. 

With her visor still up, Priss winked at her and said with surprising calm, "Worried I'm going to go rogue, Sylia?" 

Before the stunned woman could make a reply, Priss had already slipped into the launch tube and taken off. 

With the two Knight Sabers now on their way, the pit was deathly silent as Nigel stood against the wall and watched Sylia expectantly. Sylvie occupied herself by picking up and folding the discarded clothing. 

Meanwhile, Sylia stared at the readings on her screens and frowned. She then looked at the two people below her and said cryptically, "Get ready." 

* * * * * 

"So much for a low profile," Priss muttered as they descended down into the chaotic street scene. 

With their pincer-arms and four legs, the two boomers were each causing their own chaos, apparently focused on doing as much property and people damage as possible. News choppers and police were storming around the parameter of the battle zone, and of course there were pedestrians gathered just beyond the safety lines. The remains of K-suits also littered the sidewalk, some successfully abandoned and some not. 

"They look just like regular construction boomers! Are you sure they're rogue?" Priss demanded into the comm-link. 

"Rogue or not, they need to be stopped!" Sylia's voice came back in a shot. "It should be a piece of cake, _right?"_

Priss frowned at the tone and then focused on landing in the middle of the street with a thud. Nene had already landed just seconds before her and hadn't yet figured out what to do. 

"Nene, you take that one and I'll go for the other before it grabs that bus!" 

"Got it!" 

Nene fired at her targeted boomer, sending a barrage of rods at the middle section of the bulky machine. The powerful rods hit the shell, but then bounced off as if they had encountered an impregnable layer beneath. The boomer immediately spun its head at her. With the sudden frenzied speed and agility of a spider, it charged at the red Knight Saber. 

"I didn't know construction boomers were built like that!" Nene screamed in amazement as she jumped out of the way to barely avoid being snagged by one of the powerful pincers. 

"They aren't!" Sylia's voice came back, her anger clearly evident. "These are obviously special boomers. We were set up, damn it!" 

_"What?!"_ Priss blurted just as she snagged the abandoned bus and yanked it out of her boomer's reach. "I'm _nobody's_ plaything!" 

The boomer then decided that this new blue figure would be a worthy consolation prize as it decided to go for her instead. 

With a run and a somersault, Priss landed on top of her boomer and pulled back her arm to land a knuckle-bomb enhanced punched at its chest. Just as she was about to land her first real blow, her arm froze -- not the hardsuit arm, as had happened four years ago when incomplete upgrades caused the mechanism to lock, but her _own_ arm 

_"Priss! _Kill it already!" Sylia's voice demanded frantically. 

Fighting down the sudden feeling of panic that started to distract her, Priss readied her other arm, and then that one locked into place too. In her frozen state, the boomer snagged her, one pincer grabbing her waist and the other her leg, and then threw her into the side of the bus she had just saved. 

_"PRISS!"_ Nene screamed. 

The distraction was the opening her own boomer needed. It grabbed Nene by the arm and flung her into an already destroyed shop window, lodging her securely into the rubble of steel and concrete of the building. 

Priss felt her vision go dim as she stayed wedged in the bus remains, knowing that it was due to the darkness of being surrounded by wreckage. Suddenly, there was the undeniable squeal of metal as the sky became visible. Her boomer peeled apart the debris and started to pummel her as she remained on her back. 

"PRISS! Fight back, damn it!" Sylia yelled. 

With her arms still locked in their now ludicrous and mocking battle poses, Priss gulped and felt her entire body start to shake with the frantic racing of her heart. The pounding from the boomer was barely noticeable compared to her struggle against her own anxiety attack. 

Suddenly the pounding stopped as abruptly as it began. The boomer suddenly disappeared at well. 

Priss lifted her head to see the familiar White Knight Saber wrestle with her former attacker, wrenching off one of its pincers in the process as if it was a pretzel. 

"Damn it, Sylia! You're not supposed to be here!" Priss yelled angrily. Her fury distracted her from the fact that her arms suddenly unfroze as she scrambled up from the wreckage. 

After ripping open the inner protective layer, the other Knight Saber reached in and crushed the boomer's core. 

"Was I wrong, Priss, in thinking you were getting your ass kicked?" Sylia's taunting voice remarked. 

Before the enraged Priss could reply, the second boomer suddenly tackled her teammate, body-slamming her into a concrete wall. 

Letting out a roar of fury, Priss leaped and jumped onto the final boomer. 

_"Die, damn you!"_ she cried out as she slammed her fist into the reinforced body shell. 

-- End Chapter 43 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	45. 9/26 - Indiscretions

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 44: Indiscretions 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Come on, Nene," Priss said as she helped her friend from the wreckage. "Let's go before we're considered part of an encore." 

As she and the white Knight Saber helped Nene to her feet, Priss glanced at the crowd that was staring at them. 

The pedestrians, both civilians and civil servants, were unsure what to make of these female-shaped boomers. The police squads were already swarming over the boomer wreckage while news crews started to feel emboldened to come forward. 

"Let's go," Priss said, realizing that the news hawks were getting close. 

Before she could take another step, a familiar tall figure in the crowd caught her eye. She and Leon stared at each other for a moment. 

Priss then focused on her thrusters and jumped out of range of the swarm of reporters. 

* * * * * 

Priss stepped out of the launch tube and froze at the sight of a concerned Sylia waiting in her bathrobe. She even lifted her visor to make certain she wasn't hallucinating. "How --?" 

The distinctive sound of hardsuit steps came from behind her, and the white figure appeared out of the corner of her eye. 

Priss took a step away from this form that suddenly didn't seem so familiar even though the shape was the same. "Then who --?" 

The visor of the white Knight Saber lifted, revealing Sylvie's elegant features. 

"NO WAY!" Nene blurted since she too had arrived to this scene. 

"Sorry to fool you both," Sylia explained with a humorless smirk. "But Sylvie was set up as a last resort that we had hoped we would never use. I suppose it was good fortune she was available." 

Sylvie bowed to the surprised women, which looked quite odd given what she was wearing, and said, "Please accept my apology for the masquerade. I had asked Sylia to be considered as a backup as atonement for my intent to harm your fallen comrade." 

"What if you had come at us in battle?!" a freaked-out Nene blurted. 

"Nene," Sylia explained calmly, "had she done anything remotely close to betraying my trust in her, I would have used her kill-switch. She knows this." 

"It's true," Sylvie said, her eyes still lowered. 

"Still, you were great for your first time, Sylvie!" Mackey blurted since he too had been waiting to the side. 

"Why, thank you, Mackey," she replied with a smile and a nod. 

Already mad, Nene's temper unleashed as she shoved her boyfriend towards the elevator and yelled, "Get out of here so we can change!" 

"Yes, ma'am!" he declared with a gulp as he ran for his life. 

The speechless Nene just shook her head and went up to the ramp, wordlessly preparing to get out of her hardsuit. 

Sylvie looked up to see Priss staring at her, which she met with a returning gaze. 

"Thanks for saving me," Priss said softly. 

Sylvie smiled in response and bowed again. 

* * * * * 

Alone in the locker room, Priss zipped up her jacket and picked up her guitar case. 

"Priss," Sylia said softly from the doorway. "I'd like to run some scans on you. In fact I should have as soon as you came back from your battle with Galatea." 

"No," she answered in a low, firm voice. "What happened today caught me off guard, but I'm not totally surprised either. We both know why my body reacted that way, and that's good enough for me." 

"But if I can find some way to cure -" 

"I said 'no'," she repeated, anger started to brim beneath her words. She then took a deep, calming breath and said, "I don't want to know what you find. It's enough to know that it's there. I won't be turned into some lab rat, too.... And you're right, as much as I despise the fact that we're being used, innocent people are caught in the middle of this. So consider me on active status again." 

Sylia narrowed her eyes and then asked frankly, "Even though you ultimately redeemed yourself, what if you fail in battle again?" 

Priss smirked and said, "Then let me get the shit beaten out of me. I deserve it for taking such chances. And if I really do go rogue and endanger someone, then use the kill-switch you've implanted in our suits. You can't tell me there isn't one." 

Sylia frowned. "Is this honestly what you want?" 

"Promise me," Priss stated softly. "I'd rather die than kill an innocent person. And if there's any way that I can still be of use, then I'd like to take those chances as often as they come. And promise me that you'll keep this just between the two of us, just like before." 

The two women stared at each other, measuring the seriousness of the other. 

"I promise," Sylia finally said. 

After taking a breath, Priss then asked, "So is Sylvie part of the team permanently now that she's proven herself?" 

"I don't know yet. I have to talk to her about it. It wouldn't hurt to have as many able bodies available as possible, even when Linna returns to active status herself." 

Priss then frowned at a sudden thought and said, "What about this little display we were part of? Are you going to do anything about it?" 

Sylia let out a sigh and said, "I don't know if there's anything to be done, other than accept the fact that the entire world now knows about us. I'm having Mackey record as much as of the news footage from the fight as possible to see if there's anything we can analyze. Someone was obviously trying to flush us out. And I'm pretty certain it's related to the fact that we have Sylvie. There are some very smart people at Genom. It may just be the general state of things and we might just have to learn to accept it." 

Priss broke out into a quirk of a grin and said, "Well, at least it's a relief that it's not really rogue boomers after all." 

Sylia gave her a pointed look but said nothing. 

From inside her jacket pocket, Priss's phone suddenly chirped, indicating a waiting message. 

Ignoring her phone, Priss slipped the guitar case strap over her shoulder and said, "Well, I'm late for an appointment with Linna. I'm sure she's dying to know the details since she probably watched every televised moment of it." 

Sylia arched an eyebrow and said, "You know that was her who called?" 

Priss walked towards the door and without looking back just said, "That was Leon." 

-- End Chapter 44 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	46. 9/26 - Spin Doctor

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 45: Spin Doctor 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

" - I assure you that Genom Corporation is appalled by what happened!" Quincy Rosenkreuz said earnestly as his prominent profile commanded the center of the vidscreen. He stood at a podium with a handful of distinguished and powerful government officials flanking him on both sides in support. "We are working with government officials to make full restitution to victims, their surviving families and the City of Tokyo. Genom Corporation is just as much of a victim in this horrendous incident as anyone. I had been working personally with Commissioner Suzuki here on the fact that a certain international terrorist group has been giving us warnings that they would use Genom technology to execute their plans to endanger the general public. Unfortunately, it seems we were not able to stop these groups from using or compromising our prod-" 

"I think I'm going to be sick," Leon muttered as he pressed the button on the monitor to turn off the news conference that being televised from the lobby of their building. He looked at Daley and muttered, "I'll just bet if we did a search in the system right now, we'd find a case file referring to these terrorist activities backdated to six months ago." 

"Try seven. It's a luckier number," Daley remarked, both of them apparently not caring about the surveillance of their conversation. "Well, I think this just reinforces the fact that you don't need to go through the expense of having an entire police force under your thumb when one or two key people will do." 

"Yeah, it's amazing how a few people in the right places can make a big difference," Leon said as he pulled out his phone and pressed the preprogrammed button to once again dial Priss, and once again reached her voice mail. He frowned and hung up without leaving a message. 

Daley winced for him and proceeded with the conversation. "At this point I think I just want to wait to see what we're fed through the official channels. Yuuji told me that as much as the press ran with the idea of rogue boomers at first, more and more people are eating up this story about satellite controlled terrorist machines. It seems people would rather believe a human villain than a reoccurrence of the voomer plague. I don't know whether that's good or bad." 

"Well, this afternoon also proved to me that our combat squad is still as useless as ever." 

Daley nodded but also sighed. "It's not as if they could deploy the tank units in to the shopping district. In the days of the AD Police, we wouldn't have thought twice about doing it. Now at least we balance the type of force used with the destruction it causes. Unfortunately, a lot of the people in the NTC Combat Unit are still the undisciplined, trigger-happy bunch from the ADP since all of the really good officers wouldn't touch that unit with a ten-foot pole. And to be fair to them, you have to remember, this is the first time the combat unit has been used for something like this since the NTC has been formed. It's been straight forward human combat skirmishes before now, which haven't always resulted in stellar performances then either." 

Leon frowned. "Yeah, but still, we really need to beef up the training of our units who are commanding the more high tech weaponry and equipment. They were obviously sloppy out there and got themselves wiped out with barely minimum effort." 

"Welll... I did walk by Nick Roland's office and overhear him gripe about the same thing," Daley said, using a teasing tone that indicated he had been holding something back. 

His partner narrowed his eyes and demanded, "Okay, Wong, spill it!" 

"Apparently this weakness in the combat unit was already identified before today. They were already transferring someone out to take over the unit effective at the end of the month. But after today, they're hoping to expediting the transfer so the new combat commander will be here by the the beginning of next week." 

"... And?..." Leon knew there was another shoe that was waiting to drop. 

Daley pushed his glasses in place and leaned back in his chair. There was an undeniable smirk on his lips as he said, "Do you remember someone calling you 'Cowboy' during your academy days?" 

The association immediately clicked as Leon blurted, _"Aw, Hell! _This day just can't get any better, I tell ya!" 

"Yep, she's going to take that office right across from us, so you two will be able to greet each other every morning. Just like when you were cadets," Daley said. "And I can just imagine what her reaction will be when she finds out you'll be her neighbor again. I'm picturing something pretty similar to what you're expressing now." 

_"Damn! I need some coffee!" _Leon blurted as he stormed out of the room while rummaging through his pockets for change. 

Glad that his partner fell right into his plan to move their conversation to a less supervised space, Daley immediately hopped out of his seat and followed him. 

"Trying to make my day even better, Wong?" Leon said without looking up from his task of pushing buttons on the vending machine. 

"So what do you think happened with Priss?" Daley asked carefully. "She seemed incredibly… unrehearsed." 

"Like it was amateur night?" Leon's anger from the instant before seemed to dissipate as he stared out the window. "Man, Daley, you have no idea how much my heart felt like it stopped." 

"Well, perhaps because it's been a while since she's performed in Tokyo?" Daley offered, trying to cheer his friend up without belittling the situation. 

"I don't think so. She told me about the equipment problems that happened in the last audition for Sylia's band. I have half the mind to go over and tell Sylia to get her act together before pulling other people into it." 

Daley shrugged and said, "Well, go for it. But I have the feeling that confronting Sylia would be hundred times more dangerous than Priss. She's one scary woman behind the smiles if you think about it." 

Leon was quiet as he clearly thought over the statement. He finally just frowned and growled in response. 

"Hey, guys!" Nene called out as she came in with an unusual bounce in her step. "It's like a zoo down in the lobby!" 

Both men immediately straightened in surprise. 

"Nene, I thought you'd taken the rest of the day off!" a shocked Daley blurted. 

"Well, I was asked to do some special research on a project I was just assigned," she said. "So I thought I'd get a head start." 

_"Here?" _Daley asked, trying his best to remind her through a hint about the surveillance. 

Nene just smiled and winked at him. "It's like magic tricks. Get the audience to watch something other than what you're actually doing." 

"So how's Priss?!" Leon immediately demanded. 

Nene looked at him with a clearly bewildered expression at his concern. "She's doing fine. At least last I saw. She'd already left by the time I was finished talking with Mackey." 

Leon immediately pulled out his phone to call her and once again got her voice mail. He hung up and sighed. 

"He's a little discouraged about the quality of her performance," Daley explained cryptically. 

"Oh, _that," _Nene responded with a casual wave of her hand. "She said it was a fluke just because she was rusty. She told me it won't happen the next time." 

_"Next time?!" _Leon exclaimed. 

Now Nene was really confused. "Yeah. Didn't you know that she told Sylia she'd join up the line-up again?" 

_"WHAT?!"_

-- End Chapter 45 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	47. 9/26 - Last Domino

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 46: Last Domino 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

In the bright moonlight, Leon stood on the sand and stared at the black bay water before him. He knew he was early. And he had hoped that she'd be early too, but the sound of the familiar motorcycle came right on time. He didn't bother to turn around at the noise of the bike being parked and the footsteps that came near and finally stopped beside him. 

Trying to keep his burning emotions under control, he took a deep breath and commented, "Talk about your déjà vu! Would've been a perfect repeat of history except that this time you got your ass kicked!" 

"Everyone's a critic." 

The flippant answer cracked his self-control, causing him to retort, "Some of us have a right to be! And not only that, some of us deserve to hear directly from the source if a certain someone is going to commit to being on active duty again. At least to Nene's credit, she thought I already knew!" 

The woman frowned and said, "You didn't have a say the first time around. What makes you think you have a say now?" 

"Damn it, Priss! Things are different this time and you know it! Otherwise, what's the point of that engagement ring hanging around your neck?!" 

"Fine. Have it back then," she said, reaching for the chain. 

He whipped around and snagged her wrist, stopping the motion. _"No!_ I won't be a rash decision, Priss! I deserve better than that!" 

Even in the dark shadows of the night, he could tell she stared at him. He finally felt her relax and lower her arm, which caused him to do the same. 

"Look," he said, his tone softer and sadder than before, "just talk to me, Priss. I know you haven't been happy about returning to Tokyo. And I thought it was because of the Knight Sabers. So imagine my surprise when I find out you rejoined. And after having a malfunctioning hard suit, too. It doesn't make sense." 

She was quiet for a long time as she watched the gentle waves before them. "It doesn't, Leon? The only time I feel alive is when I'm on stage or I'm in a hardsuit. I was just fooling myself when I turned down Sylia." 

"So you don't feel alive when there's just me?" The hurt in his voice was undeniable. 

"Leon, I'm..." Priss let out a frustrated sigh and said, "Look, you watched that entire street scene from beginning to end. You watched innocent people be crippled or die. And then your K-suit buddies was just as ineffective as before. Didn't it once pass through your mind 'If Priss was here, the insanity could be stopped'?" 

The man frowned at the truth in those words, but then he shook his head. "I'll admit that happened. But what I also thought as I watched that boomer beat you was 'That's my future wife and mother of my children.' It's not going to be just me at stake anymore. What am I supposed to tell our kids if there's a repeat of today and Sylia's not there to watch your back?" 

"You sound like a cop's wife." 

Angry that he walked right into that one, he blurted, "Damn it, Priss! You knew that when you met me!" 

"Listen to yourself, Leon!" she retorted, her own anger ripping loose. "I am Priss Asagiri, singer and Knight Saber! Not a wifey! Not a mom! You were the one talking of cozy little homes with little pitter patter of feet everywhere! I don't have those kinds of dreams! I never did!" 

Leon lurched back as if she had actually slapped him physically instead of verbally. "But - But doesn't every woman want children?" 

"Leon," she said, her tone softening but still sharp, "were you attracted to me because I was like every other woman?" 

"Well, no - but that doesn't mean -" 

She turned on her heel to walk away. "Forget this. I need some space. I haven't had any in a while." 

Leon reached out and snagged her arm, jerking her back in mid-step. "Don't turn away from me, Priss! I will not let you shut me out as if the past four years never happened!" 

Priss froze, her entire body tense like iron. She didn't even turn her head as she said, "Let. Me. Go." 

He didn't move for a moment, wanting to react verbally as well as physically. Knowing that that would have really done much more damage than good, he finally sighed and let her go. "So what now? Are you going back to Linna for real this time?" 

Despite the strong and angry strides, it was clear that Priss almost tripped when he made that comment. But she remained quiet as she got on her bike and put on her helmet 

She then looked at him and said, "If you don't want me to be part of the Knight Sabers, then your cop buddies better learn how to do their jobs. In the mean time, I'm moving in with Sylia." 

Leon grit his teeth and took a deep breath. Mustering as much calm as he could, he asked, "When can I call you?" 

"Not right now," she answered as she started the engine and drove away. 

At first Leon didn't move, even after she had been gone for a good fifteen minutes. Then, in a flood of rage, he took out his frustration by kicking at a helpless piece of nearby driftwood before finally collapsing in physical and emotional exhaustion. 

* * * * * 

"Thanks for this, Sylia," Priss answered cryptically as she stepped through the doors. 

With a duffel bag in one hand and her guitar case in the other, she looked typically out of place in the elegant establishment, even though it was late at night. 

"It's not as if I don't have the space," replied a groggy, bathrobe-clad Sylia. The hour was hardly late for her under normal circumstances, but her plan to catch up on rest and healing time was not feeling well timed that day. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like." 

After pushing the security buttons on the wall to lock the closed doors, Sylvie stood by and watched curiously. 

Henderson was also there. He stepped forward hesitantly and asked, "May I carry something of yours, Miss Priss?" 

"No need, Henderson. Just lead the way." 

"Of course. Follow me." 

Now with the two of them alone, Sylia looked at Sylvie expectantly and prompted, "You have a question?" 

Sylvie looked at the top of the stairs where Priss had disappeared to and then said, "I think I do but I'm not certain yet how to phrase it." 

Sylia let out a small yawn and answered, "Well, if you'll excuse me, Sylvie, I am really tired. We can talk in the morning - or whenever I wake up." 

The boomer stood quietly in the dim lighting as she tried to make sense of everything she witnessed that day connected to this puzzling person called Priss Asagiri. 

* * * * * 

It was a nice room, probably one of the best quality ones she'd ever been in, with its simple desk and comfortable looking bed. Yet instead of enjoying her surroundings, Priss stood in the middle and stared at the phone in her hand. 

It was too late to call Linna, even if her friend wasn't in need of sleep for healing. But Priss wanted someone to talk to, someone who would really listen for a change, and maybe even understand. 

Then again, who was she fooling? Such a person didn't exist. 

Priss then sighed and put the phone down on the desk. She stared at the transparent wall that gave a small view of the giant aquarium which was the center of the building. Even though Henderson had showed her how to shut off the transparency, Priss preferred the room like this. The surreal mood and lighting fit her state of her mind for the past three years. 

Priss noticed that her hand was unconsciously clasping the engagement ring hanging from her throat. She held up the ring and stared at it. After a long pause, she kissed it, took off the necklace and slipped it into a pocket in her jacket. 

Then she opened her guitar case and sat on the bed. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began to play any melody that came to mind. 

-- End Chapter 46 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	48. 9/30 - Personal Interests

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 47: Personal Interests 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

With a chef's apron over the stylish attire marking her as the Silky Doll's lone shop girl, Sylvie efficiently moved around the spotless kitchen as she fished through the fridge and various cupboards for the items needed to prepare the large breakfast she had planned. On the long counter in the middle of the room, she arranged each item according to its category, from eating utensils to food ingredients. She was determined to make certain Henderson's lessons would not go to waste. 

She paused in mid-motion at the faint noise from the hallway. Since it was approximately 4:30 a.m., no one else should be up. She turned to see Priss standing in the doorway of the kitchen. 

Dressed in a ragged t-shirt and faded jeans, the human stood stone-still and stared with no expression other than a slight narrowing of the eyes and crease of a frown on her brow. Her hair was still wet as she continued to dry it with the towel around her neck. 

The two women stared at each other in silence. 

Sylvie bowed in greeting and said, "Good morning, Priss, I was just about to prepare breakfast. May I fix you something in particular? " 

Priss didn't move for a moment as she continued to stare. Then she went directly towards the fridge and said, "I just want something to drink, thanks. I can take care of myself." 

The boomer quietly watched her study the fridge contents and then pull out a container of orange juice. Priss then paused and glanced at the various cupboards. She started to open the cupboards in search of something, and did not find it immediately - much to her annoyance, marked by the noticeable deepening of her frown. 

After watching Priss open the fifth cupboard, Sylvie surmised what she was looking for and picked up one of the ready glasses on the counter to offer it to her. "I had already pulled one aside for you. Would you like it?" 

With her hand on the knob of another cupboard, Priss stared at the proffered glass. She then looked at Sylvie, who again matched her stare. 

"Thanks," she said, finally taking the glass. She poured herself a drink and made no further attempt to acknowledge the presence of the other woman, who continued to watch her. 

Seeing that no further interaction was wanted or required, Sylvie continued in her task of assembling necessary items. 

Priss leaned back against the counter space and covertly watched Sylvie out of the corner of her eye. Her frown didn't ease one bit. 

"Should I leave so you may enjoy your juice in silence?" Sylvie asked matter-of-factly, apparently otherwise occupied with her task at hand. 

Priss raised an eyebrow and then said, "No need.... Do you do this every morning?" 

Sylvie paused and looked at her with a clearly puzzled expression. "'This'?" 

"Make breakfast." 

"No. This is my first time. By myself at least." 

"Oh... Then are you going to work in the shop today?" 

"Yes," the boomer responded as she tried to make sense of the logic behind the questioning. Then she tilted her head curiously and asked, "Are you finally interested in buying something?" 

Priss's frown got darker for a moment and then lightened. "No. I just never expected Sylia to take advantage of you like this." 

Now Sylvie was clearly confused. "Take advantage of me? As in use me for her benefit without consideration of my own desires? I don't believe that is the case. I am fixing breakfast to show Mr. Henderson that I fully understand his cooking lessons and desire a test to prove myself. I work in the shop because it is the best way for me to interact with humans so that my social skills and experience increases. I am glad Mr. Henderson can sleep in while I take over cooking duties for a day, and that Sylia can rest and heal from the injury I had given her. And even if there were no benefits for them, I've found I enjoy cooking and socializing. Is that being taken advantage of?" 

Priss had listened to her quietly, but each word actually made the frown lighten and eventually disappear. When Sylvie was finished, Priss finally smiled to herself and said, "You're right. There's nothing wrong in doing something you enjoy. If that's truly the case then, yeah, I'd like to have some of the breakfast you're going to make." 

Sylvie broke out into a pleased smile and said, "It will take a while though. I can summon you from your room when it's ready." 

"I'm in no rush. Unless of course that was your hint for me to get out of your way," she answered as she pulled a comb out of her pocket and started run it through her hair. 

"I would like you to stay," Sylvie admitted with a slight softening of her tone that actually caused Priss's eyebrow to arch curiously. Then she said in a stronger voice, "However, I am curious to know why you're up so early. I had formed the impression you would not be an early riser given that you were up quite late singing and playing your guitar." 

"Sorry about that. I didn't realize the walls were so thin," Priss said with a genuine look of surprise. 

"They aren't. I just have particularly acute hearing when something catches my interest," Sylvie admitted. Then she quickly added, "I try not to go out of my way to hear things that are not meant for me to listen to. But sometimes I can't help it, especially since I was in my room without any task to occupy myself. And I didn't think you'd mind." 

"As long as you liked what you heard," Priss said with a shrugged. "So, do you actually sleep?" 

"I've begun to. But I am only able to do it for a couple of hours at a time. I'm finding that I'm having difficulty allowing myself to completely shut down for a significant length of time. And when I do sleep, it doesn't feel as deep and as restful as Mackey has described. Sylia tells me it just may take some time to adjust, especially since I am on constant alert status, having been a combat boomer." 

"Sounds like you and I are on the same sleeping schedule.... Is there something I can do to help?" Priss offered, suddenly conscious of the fact that she just stood there while the boomer was tackling what seemed to be a feast for a queen. 

Sylvie paused and regarded her critically for a moment. Then she said seriously, "Only if you are offering because you might enjoy it. Otherwise, I'd rather keep all of the enjoyment to myself." 

Priss actually chuckled and said, "All right you win. I'll just stand here and watch." 

The other woman broke out into another pleased smile and then remarked, "Then do it over there. Otherwise, you're going to be in my way in approximately two minutes." 

* * * * * 

Dressed in her bathrobe, Sylia appeared in the dining room entrance and paused at the various dishes of food, which were more than enough to feed the three other people seated at the table. "My! All of that food looks delicious... and plentiful." 

Henderson immediately got up and bowed in greeting, as did Sylvie. Priss remained rooted as she took a bite from her toast and gave her hostess a nod of acknowledgement. 

"Good morning, Mistress Sylia," Henderson greeted. "Sylvie wanted to treat us to the best breakfast she could make, which as you can see is quite varied since she knew we all had different tastes. I've sampled everything and it's delicious." 

"Is there anything in particular you would like to try, Sylia?" the boomer asked as she readied a plate for her. 

With an amused grin, Sylia sat down at her usual spot at the head of the table and said, "Let's just start with a small portion of the Eggs Benedict -- no, smaller than that, dear -- and we'll proceed from there. I promise to try everything even though it may take a few meals to do that." 

Henderson handed her the still neatly folded newspaper. "I think you would be interested in the front page headlines, Madame." 

She took the paper with a curious arch of her eyebrow. She opened it up to see a bold, red headline that read "Mysterious Female Warriors Save the Day!" Matching the colored headline was a full-page story with two nice photos, one of Sylvie crushing the core of her boomer and the one of Priss landing the crippling blow on hers. 

The story really wasn't that much of a surprise after the constant news coverage on television all yesterday after the attack. However, it added a certain dimension of concreteness to see it in print. 

After a sigh, Sylia merely looked at Priss. 

The singer gave a shrug as she continued to tackle her breakfast and commented, "I just think it's too bad that I can't use all of this coverage to publicize Sekiria's new play dates at Hot Legs." 

-- End Chapter 47 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	49. 9/30 - Best Laid Plans

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 48: Best Laid Plans 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Even though he was clearly displeased, Largo's handsome, smooth looks betrayed little raw emotion as he spoke into the phone screen. " - So imagine my surprise upon hearing about this 'terrorist issue' Genom Corporation has been having. I can appreciate you wanting to take care of such matters on your own, Mr. Rosenkreuz, however, when it results in damage to the property and safety of my clients, I would naturally like to be aware of such things. I trust you will not act without my input in the future on such far-reaching matters?" 

Both men knew he spoke in code, showing that Largo had a greater awareness of the matter than the knowledge shared by the general public. 

Quincy smiled at him from his spot at his desk and said, "I hear your concerns, Mr. Watanabe, and I assure you that this will not happen again. The matter has been closed satisfactorily with Commissioner Suzuki. And if anything in the future does come up, I assure you that you will be number one on my list of personal advisors." 

"I'm honored to hear that. Have a good day, Mr. Rosenkreuz," the younger man responded, hanging up without waiting for a reply. 

Quincy smirked and leaned back in his chair, picking up the newspaper to look at the headlines. 

"He didn't sound too pleased," Madigan noted from her spot by the window, where she had waited for the call to end. 

"He'll get over it. Rich, pretty boys like him tend to forget that the world doesn't always center around them," Quincy responded casually from behind the wall of newsprint. "Just to spare me some avoidable grief, if we ever conduct a public 'test' again, we should do a query of any Watanabe holdings in the area." 

"'If'? So we are done with the Knight Sabers?" A subtle surprise was evident in her tone. 

"Oh, hardly.... You know, these pictures are pretty thrilling. Get in contact with the photographer and see if we can get some blown-up framed copies. I think they would add a zing to the office décor.... Now, what did your team come up with?" 

The woman nodded toward his terminal and said, "The full preliminary report has already been sent to your inbox. However, for the sake of highlights, my team agrees that the technology of those three Knight Sabers would be more than a match for Sylvie, so I think it's safe to assume they were indeed the ones responsible for her disappearance. At this point, we don't think we have anything that could match them in a confrontation, except perhaps Sylvie's sisters." 

Quincy frowned as he mulled over Madigan's words. "That sounds too close for my liking. Are we convinced that these are indeed the Knight Sabers from four years ago?" He spread the paper out on his desk and tapped into his terminal so he could see the file in question. 

Madigan nodded, "If not the originals, then something too close to be coincidental. Even though the styles of the suits are noticeably different, the color schemes and abilities correspond with the figures from when the boomer took over the factory." 

Something clicked in Quincy's mind as he remembered the archive videos. "Weren't there four of them in that footage?" 

"Yes. We're missing the green one. She may not be active with the group anymore, perhaps not even alive. Although there's a good possibility she could have been on stand-by, just as the white one seems to have been, given her late arrival." 

"'She'? So you too are convinced they're women?" Quincy noted as he glanced at the newspaper photos. He focused in particular on the transparent abdomens of both Knight Sabers. "After all, we built belly-buttons into Sylvie and the girls as well." 

Madigan knew he was joking and merely responded with a slight quirk of a smile. "Apart from the aesthetics, my team agrees that their movements were just too sporadic and uncoordinated to be A.I.-based. Even though we couldn't hear them communicate, it was clear each was affected by any team member who seemed endangered. That doesn't make sense if they were operating on boomer intelligence alone." 

"True..." Quincy then glanced at the newspaper headline again and mused, "Well, the public seems to think they're women, too. The one thing I didn't foresee was this hero-worship that's obviously been created. We have to be careful of anything we do with the Knight Sabers in the future, especially if it's in public. Genom-related damage to these current media darlings will be a worse P.R. disaster than the boomer revolution." 

"What would be next?" she asked, her curiosity now extremely evident. "After all, we achieved the goal of the test, which was to confirm that they were indeed active." 

"Didn't you say that we had video blackouts on their arrivals, for the first two as well as the third? So we don't know exactly where they came from?" 

She nodded. "For both local feeds as well as satellite. And when they left too. Even our eyewitnesses could only describe a general direction of where they disappeared to." 

"Then our first priority is that you should have your team study every available video we have of the incident. I want as much information documented as possible on their abilities. This includes that four year old factory video, too." 

"Do we have another priority?" Madigan prompted, knowing the way her boss thought. 

Quincy smiled and leaned back in his chair as he stared out at the view of Tokyo Bay. "Yes, indeed. I'm authorizing you to take next month off as a well-deserved vacation. I believe you haven't had a chance to visit Fred Jr. in a while. In fact, I think I'll take my own family on a getaway while we're on the subject. 

"When you come back, I want you to assemble the best and brightest available. If they don't currently work for us, then recruit them. Our goal is to exceed the Knight Sabers' combat and technical capabilities, in both our boomer girls and in our own version of those hardsuits. I know we currently don't have anything near that level of sophistication but I think our people are up for the challenge now that we've all seen what's actually possible. We might actually be able to get some assistance and good test subjects from Commissioner Suzuki's 'prized' Neo-Tech Crimes Division, especially given how poorly their combat unit performed against our modified construction boomers. 

"The second priority is to develop a covert plan to catch one of these Knight Sabers so we can study those hardsuits. That factory footage should provide clues on what went wrong with that sting operation. When we have the secrets of their hardsuit technology, we will cement our position as the leaders in the field. If we manage to capture all of them, well that just ensures no more competition from them... And definitely continue the surveillance of Daley Wong to see if he has some connection to them. He clearly knows we're watching him; but it's just a matter of time before he'll forget we're there and slip up." 

Madigan nodded in acknowledgement as she wrote down some notes on her datapad. "Do we have a desired closure time on capturing the Knight Sabers?" 

Quincy shook his head. "They're local and still active after a four year absence. They're not going anywhere and neither are we. We can take the time to do this right. Unless we actually prompt a need, I doubt we'll see our Iron Ladies, given that they didn't seem too keen on publicity the first time around. And if they weren't in the picture, Genom Corporation would still be the leader in the world in boomer technology...." The President and CEO of Genom Corporation then broke out into a pleased smile and commented, "You know something, Madigan, it really feels good to have a challenge like this. Otherwise, I was afraid I'd actually have to take up golf if things had continued to be as boring as they were." 

"If that were the case, sir, I would have joined you on the greens myself." 

-- End Chapter 48 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	50. 9/30 - Life Paths

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 49: Life Paths 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Linna couldn't stop herself from making the wretched expression as she downed the last of the tea. 

"I think I really did die this time," she croaked. 

Mrs. Takeuchi smiled, as if she was quite used to the complaint. "Now, if it actually tasted good, would you think it was medicine?" 

"It'd make me more than happy to take the slow path to healing if that's the only other option there is." Out of the corner of her eye she watched the elderly woman read the medical monitors. "Um, can I ask you a nosy question?" 

"Of course." 

"What kind of health practitioner are you?" Linna asked. Then realizing how that sounded, she immediately added, "I'm not questioning your results at all. But you seem knowledgeable about the monitors and regular doctor techniques. But then you do things like that tea." 

The elderly woman smiled and said, "I do whatever works. I used to be a doctor in Western medicine, specializing in obstetrics and pediatrics. But when I met my husband, I exchanged my career to devote my time to raise a family." 

Linna's eyes got wide. "You gave up _everything?!"_

She shook her head, though apparently amused by the young woman's reaction. "No. I put my time and effort to what was more valuable to me. I hardly regret the decision. And I can assure you that my medical background came in quite handy when trying to raise five rowdy boys, especially in this household." 

Linna frowned, not quite sure if the statement's meaning was a lot more negative than the tone sounded. "So your husband supported all of you?" 

"In a manner of speaking," she said, actually sitting in the chair nearby, which was unusual since Linna had never before seen her do anything but fuss over her and walk in and out of the room because of it. "He was a head bodyguard to Reika's grandfather. He died 33 years ago when he took a bullet for Mr. Chang." 

"Even though that was a long time ago, you don't seem bitter about it." 

"There's no need to be. He went in the most honorable way possible for a man he loved and respected. It is the same devotion Kou has had instilled in him, and which will be instilled in the next of our generation to serve the Changs." 

"Is it some sort of family legacy?" 

Mrs. Takeuchi tilted her head a bit as she thought about it. Then she answered, "I suppose you can call it that. My husband's family has served the Changs for 57 generations. Each generation must produce at least one person who will give life service not only to the Chang Family but also to the Hou Bang Clan. In exchange, all siblings and their immediate children will be properly cared for directly or indirectly by the Clan. The rest of my sons have gone on to have fully paid educations and support for their careers and families. Kou volunteered his services because he found more satisfaction in following the path of his father than any other options the world could give." 

Linna looked puzzled as she asked, "Do you think he's unhappy that he didn't have the chance to do other things, like follow some sort of personal dream?" 

The other woman merely smiled and said, "You would have to ask him that. But, I can tell you that I've not felt any discontent in him. A mother can usually sense these things." 

Linna blushed. "I'm sorry. I guess I feel sort of selfish in that I abandoned my family's expectations of me to go off and pursue my own dreams. When I hear stories about people like Kou -- and Reika -- I can't help but wonder if I'm acting like a little spoiled brat." 

The other woman silently studied her, but since the usual gentle smile was on her lips, it didn't feel as unnerving as it could. After a while though, Linna couldn't help but lower gaze and blush even more. 

"You have a very powerful and strong heart, Linna," Mrs. Takeuchi finally said. "You would make a wonderful wife and mother." 

Linna's eyes widened in surprised as she gulped. "Um-Well, I don't think that's quite in the cards for me. I'm not that traditional." 

"Why? Because you care for Mistress Reika?" 

The young woman glanced at her in surprise before dropping her gaze again. "And that doesn't bother you?" 

"I helped to raise her and her sister. They are my daughters in spirit... And even if you cared for another woman besides Reika, my observation still stands. You have incredible capacity to love and care. And I've sensed a certain frustration in you that you haven't been able to express that love in the way that best suits you. Hopefully you will find your answers soon." 

Still thoroughly amazed and embarrassed, Linna mumbled a thank you. 

At that point, Mrs. Takeuchi made her exit, leaving the young woman to a whirlwind of thoughts. 

* * * * * 

"That's really beautiful," Linna commented in amazement at her visitor, who was sitting down on the floor and out of her restricted field of vision. 

"Thanks," Priss said, tightening the strings on her guitar as she glanced down at the music sheets on the floor before her. "I wrote it last night. I think it's the best piece I've written in a while." 

Linna chuckled and remarked, "Did being a Knight Saber again give your emotional batteries a recharge?" 

Priss focused a bit on plucking some test notes from her guitar and said, "You could say that." 

"Well, I'm sure Leon is pleased." 

"Maybe in time he will be." 

Linna narrowed her eyes, knowing a bit how to read her friend's trademark evasiveness. "He's upset with you rejoining?" 

"A bit. I'm staying at Sylia's in the meantime." 

Her friend was quiet for a moment and then asked, "Is that why you're not wearing your engagement ring-necklace today?" 

Even though Linna couldn't see the reaction, Priss gave her a glance and then quirked her mouth into a mild smile. "I would have told you if you hadn't noticed before I left." 

"What do Sylia and Nene think of it?" 

"I haven't told them. Leon will probably tell Nene at work today. I don't know if Sylia even knew we got engaged because I certainly didn't tell her. But once Nene finds out, I just figured the whole world will know one way or the other." 

Linna silently agreed based on her own experience of when Nene first found out about Priss and Leon. "So is the break-up permanent?" 

"Is anything?" 

Linna let out a sigh and said, "Well, thank you for letting me be the first to officially know. So how do you feel about it?" 

"Feel?" Priss shrugged and started the beginning of a melody but then abruptly stopped. "I don't know if I should say. I haven't trusted my feelings in the past couple of years... At least now you don't have to strain yourself imagining me in a maternity version of my biker's outfit." 

Linna was silent for a moment. "Just what happened between you and Galatea?" 

"We got to know each other a little too well," Priss answered cryptically. Then she did a playful strum across the strings of her guitar. "Here's a beer drinking song we learned in Munchen..." 

-- End Chapter 49 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	51. 9/30 - Champions of Justice

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 50: Champions of Justice 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Sylia gingerly sat down in the couch, her hand protectively over her wound area as was her current habit. 

"How are you feeling?" Nene asked as she sat down next to her. 

Priss and Sylvie sat down on each of the other two couches. 

"I'm actually feeling a bit better than I had been eventhough I'm still quite tender. Sleeping through most of yesterday helped tremendously. Thank you for asking," Sylia responded to the younger woman before turning her attention to her guests as a whole. "I had called Linna to tell her about this discussion but she's needing some sleep as well. However, she did give me her personal input in case a vote needs to happen... So as you can imagine, we're kind of in an unusual position right now. One that I certainly never envisioned or intended to happen when I originally formed the Knight Sabers: Do we remain active in a non-rogue boomer world?" 

"I say we do," Nene immediately stated. "We went into action yesterday because our abilities and skills were needed. And you've said yourself that we have to be ready for whatever Genom's planning next." 

"True. And the public response to us has been quite interesting. I've been watching the commentaries and reading the editorials. The bottom line Is that people like having us around, not just for boomer incidents but for anything our technology might be able to help with." 

"Such as?" Priss prompted. Although her face was as passive as usual, there was a noticeable tone of curiosity in her words. 

Nene jumped in and said, "Well, the most obvious area of need is being a back-up to the NTC Police combat unit given how poorly they performed. They're getting a new commander but she's not arriving until next week. Plus, she's just one person. It's going to take some time to get _that_ team into shape. And given the kinds of cases that we're coming across, I can assure you that the technology some of the criminals are creating or have access to may just require us to get involved on occasion, whether or not the combat team wants our help." 

Priss actually grinned. "Well, that'll just bring back the good old days." 

"As the most obvious possibility, we could help the NTC Police with other high-tech cases, which would be filtered through Daley and Nene. But there are other mission scenarios that we could selectively choose to participate in," Sylia said. "such as helping with major accidents or in extreme weather conditions, such as during typhoon season and earthquakes. The possibilities are endless." 

"I think we should!" Nene blurted. "That's so cool!" 

Priss snorted and remarked, "So we'd really be super heroes after all. I'm sure Linna would be pleased." 

Sylia smiled at her. "She did tell me to tell you that she wants a cape added to her hardsuit... So who's in or out for this? I'm assuming that despite your answer, you would still be on call for regular boomer instances." 

"Count me in!" Nene declared. 

Knowing that all eyes were now on her, Priss dropped her gaze as a dark frown suddenly fell over her features. 

"Sylvie?" Sylia prompted, trying to steer some attention away from the other woman. "Would you like to be part of this?" 

The boomer looked noticeably hesitant. "I - I'm not certain if I would perform adequately in such situations. I'm programmed for combat. I know what to do when there's an enemy involved. But this sounds extremely... _undefined."_

"Glad that you shared that," Sylia responded. "We'll make certain you're never dispatched alone. And you would just have to take the lead of whoever is partnered with you at the time. I'm certain your confidence will increase over time to take care of missions alone." 

"I'll do it if she does it," Priss said softly, not looking up, surprising the other woman with her response. "I mean, if I'm going to do something like this, then I want to do it as a team. When Linna's recovered then, Sylvie, you don't have to do it anymore if you feel like it still doesn't work for you. I just like the idea of... us watching each other's back." 

"Then count me in as well," Sylvie responded with a noticeably pleased look. 

Sylia just arched her eyebrow curiously as her glance shifted between the other two women. 

"Wait a minute," Nene suddenly said. "Is Sylvie a regular member now? I mean, I knew she was a last resort option but I didn't know she was now part of the regular team." 

"Sylia asked me if I would like to be," Sylvie answered, "but I admit I still haven't given a response yet. I feel uncomfortable committing due to the preprogrammed commands that have not yet been purged. I would be glad to reevaluate my options once I know they've been taken care of. Until then, I know that Linna's membership has priority over mine." 

"Out of curiosity, Sylvie," Sylia said, "If you were to become a regular team member, what color would you like your hardsuit to be? After all, I will want to reclaim mine when I get back to active duty status myself." 

The boomer thought it over for a moment and then answered brightly, "I like the color pink." 

An awkward silence settled in the room after her response, which caused her to look at them in puzzlement. 

Then Sylia broke out into a giggle and said, "I actually like the idea of seeing the expressions of the more macho members of the NTC combat unit if they saw they were bested by a Knight Saber in a much more... _delicate_ color scheme." 

The other two Knight Sabers chose to remain quiet. 

"Well, it seems that we're all in agreement to increase our scope of responsibility," Sylia summarized. "And that includes Linna's input. Nigel and Mackey are also committed to helping. Naturally, this will change the way we operate. I'm going to remain out of active status for as long as my injury keeps me from being fully functional; however I will still manage the entire team, including calling you for assignments where I think we could provide valuable assistance. Nigel and I have already identified some key enhancements to the hardsuits that we'll add as soon as possible. And in case you were wondering, you will be receiving duty pay." 

Priss looked noticeably surprised. "So you're financing us again?" 

Sylia actually grinned and said, "Not quite. Hardware and operational costs, yes. Your service pay is actually coming out of Nigel's royalties account from his work on boomer cores for the white noise issue. Consider it a form of poetic justice." 

With a broad smile, Priss declared, "If that's the case, then I'm definitely in." 

* * * * * 

"So, um, Priss," Nene began hesitantly as they raided Sylia's fridge for something to drink, "how are you doing? I mean, with Leon and all." 

Priss didn't answer at first as she fished out some coffee drinks and handed one to her. She finally sighed and said, "Nene, I know you want to help, but this is one area that I'm asking you not to stick your nose into." 

Nene frowned and said, "Look, you're both friends of mine. And he's really hurting. You either don't care or you're doing a really good job of reverting back to the cool and distant Priss from four years ago. After all, you agreed to marry him only a couple of days ago!" 

Priss stared at her coolly for a moment. "I assure you that I care." 

"Then just call him. Talk to him a little bit so he's got something to look forward to." 

The other woman narrowed her eyes at her and asked, "Did he ask you to approach me or are you doing this on your own?" 

She held up her hand in an oath. "I swear this is just me. He hasn't made one comment to me about trying to plead his case." 

"Then, Nene, I think you should take that as a direct hint from him to not get involved. And calling him now isn't going to help anyway because I wouldn't say anything he wants to hear." 

Nene looked noticeably stunned. "Then you really are sticking with the idea of breaking up with him?" 

Priss gave her a silent look and then just walked away. 

-- End Chapter 50 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	52. 9/30 - Competition

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 51: Competition 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Priss paused in the doorway to the training room to find her other active teammates preparing for a training session with Mackey's help. 

The exercise equipment and special virtual simulators were ignored as everyone gathered in the middle of the vast room on the practice mats that had been laid out on the floor. 

Nene was dressed in a gi with a green belt, with Mackey helping her put on weird looking thin, blue mittens that matched the socks on her feet. 

Dressed in a white-belted gi, Sylvie stood quietly by and watched the couple prepare. She looked deceptively unthreatening with her passive shop-girl pose, her hands clasped together and her head tilted despite an otherwise straight posture. 

Sylia, who had apparently decided to spend the day in her bathrobe with her hair in a simple ponytail, sat on a nearby chair with a datapad in her hand. 

"Hello, Priss," Sylia greeted, "I wasn't sure if you were going to join us." 

"I'm not sure yet," Priss admitted as she leaned against the doorway, "the details were a little vague. So what kind of special training is this?" 

"There are special sensors built into these gloves and socks," Mackey explained as he made sure Nene's were firmly sealed at the wrist. "They're thin enough that they shouldn't feel any different than regular training gear, but they should register contact hits with Sylvie. They've also got enhanced padding for protection since Sylvie's a little harder than your usual opponent." 

Priss barely suppressed a smirk as she folded her arms and said, "So it'll be Nene versus Sylvie? Shouldn't there be headgear involved?" 

"Sylvie is going to be defending herself only," Sylia explained. "And she obviously won't have to worry about sustaining permanent damage. The point is to give you and Nene a taste of what it's really like to fight a boomer of her skill level, which as you can imagine is quite different than fighting rogue boomers who aren't programmed to fight, especially with human combat techniques. Even though your reflexes are considerably enhanced in your hardsuits, I think you'll still learn a lot in this set up. Plus, since we're all a little rusty, I think this provides some needed variety in the combat training that should help us get up to speed as quickly as possible. And Sylvie graciously offered to do this." 

The boomer in question merely bowed to Priss in acknowledgement as her pleased smile widened a bit. Priss smiled back and the two of them stared at each other for a bit, which Sylia pretended not to notice as she scanned her datapad and pressed some remote control buttons on it. 

"How does it feel?" Mackey asked his girlfriend. 

Nene testingly flexed her fingers and feet. "They feel a little stiff, but no different than other training gloves." 

"Remember, you'll register a hit if you make contact with her. The training program is sophisticated enough to be able to register the difference between a scored hit and her blocking you. You don't have to pull your punches at all with her." 

Nene just smiled at the thought. 

"Sylvie, are you ready?" Mackey asked. 

She nodded, "Whenever Nene is ready." 

"Can I at least get you a headband or something to keep your hair out of the way?" he offered, which caused Nene to seethe as she stood right behind him. 

As if suddenly realizing that her loose hair would indeed be a distraction, Sylvie nodded, "That would be nice. Thank you." 

"Then hurry up and go get her one so we can begin!" Nene blurted as she shoved him into the direction of the locker room. 

"Mackey, stay. Sylvie, use this," Sylia said, offering the ribbon from her own hair. 

Priss, deciding this was going to be too good to pass up watching, walked in and sat down on the edge of the mat beside Sylia. 

After a moment, the main area of the mat was cleared as the two opponents faced each other. 

Sylvie bowed in greeting and said, "Thank you for this opportunity to help, Nene." 

Nene smacked her hands together and grinned evilly, "Oh, I'm looking forward to this!" 

Sylia cleared her throat and announced, "Begin whenever you're ready." 

* * * * * 

Approximately thirty-seven minutes later, Nene collapsed on the mat on her hands and knees, covered in sweat and wheezing for air after a frustrating bout of blocked punches and kicks. 

Sylvie, meanwhile, stood quietly by, straightening her gi and fixing her hair. It took only a couple of seconds before she reverted to her passive shop-girl pose, which was clearly quite contradictory to that of her exhausted opponent. 

The three onlookers were each waiting silently, trying not to bring up the fact that despite the decent display of sparring, not one aggressive hit on Nene's behalf was registered in the training program. 

"Um, Nene, do you want to continue, or do you want to take a break?" Sylia prompted gently. 

As much as she wanted land at least one punch, even on Sylvie's ankles, Nene was too tired and worn. "I - I need a short break," she gasped as she wearily got to her feet. 

Mackey rushed up and give her a towel and a bottle of water. "That was a really incredible attempt, Nene! You really can't expect too much when you compare your skill level to Sylvie's!" 

_"Thanks a lot, jerk!" _she yelled as she snapped the towel at his head, flipping off his headband behind him. She then stormed in the direction of the locker room. 

Mackey looked after her in bewilderment as both Sylia and Priss made a motion to get to their feet and go after her. 

Sylvie stayed them with a hand and said, "Sylia, I think I'm the one who needs to deal with this." 

Sylia opened her mouth to say something, but then relented with a nod. 

Once Sylvie and Nene were out of the room, Mackey looked at the two remaining women and said, "What did I say wrong?" 

Priss merely smirked and said, "Your only crime is that you proved you're a guy after all." 

Mackey looked even more confused as Sylia pretended to focus more on the read outs of her datapad. 

* * * * * 

Sylvie walked into the locker room just in time to see Nene angrily throwing the training socks at the nearby wall. 

Nene, whose eyes were brimming with tears, noticed her presence and stared at her. "What do you want?" 

"To see if you were all right. And to see what I can do to help if you're not." 

Nene looked as if she wanted to say something, anything hurtful to the other woman, but then realized there was nothing that wanted to come out. She shook her head in frustration, wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her gi, and slumped down on the nearby bench. She muttered, "It's not your fault that you're tall and gorgeous and a boomer." 

Sylvie gingerly sat down on the bench next to her and said softly, "Nene, he's not attracted to me." 

Nene's face turned red at the frank statement but frowned. "Oh yeah? How do you know?" 

"Because what everyone has been politely ignoring is the fact that while I'm a combat boomer, I am also programmed for recreational purposes," Sylvie pointed out. "Even though I've had no experience in that area, I am programmed to be able to read signs of emotional and physical attraction. And Mackey exhibits nothing out of the ordinary for someone who just wants to be a friend and to help. Yes, he feels a certain kinship and responsibility for me because we're both boomers. I'm certain his overt excitement right now is that I'm new, and I'm a sentient machine in development; he is a mechanic after all. Once he's used to me being around, the enthusiasm will wear off. In the meantime, however, I don't think he will ever tire of you, or start to take you for granted as he's destined to with me. Even during this initial introduction phase, I am not the one he wants to hold hands with." 

Nene's face remained red but for a different reason as she stared at her own hands in response to Sylvie's words. Then she gave her a narrow look and said, "You promise me you're not interested in him?" 

"I guarantee he's not the one that I want," she answered simply. 

Nene broke out into an apologetic smile and held out her hand for a shake. "Then I'm sorry for having fantasies about crushing your core." 

Sylvie smiled back and shook her hand. "As long as the fantasies stop, that's all I care about." 

-- End Chapter 51 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	53. 9/30 - Playing With Fire

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 52: Playing With Fire 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"Well?" Sylia asked Priss, "Are you in a gambling mood?" 

The other woman glanced at the waiting Sylvie as well as at Nene and Mackey. 

"Why not?" the singer relented as she stood. "It's not as if I can do any worse." 

Nene made a silent face at her as she sat down in the now vacant spot next to Sylia's chair. 

"Do you want to change into a gi, Priss? I have a couple of spares in the locker room," Sylia offered. 

Priss looked down at her attire of T-shirt and jeans and then shook her head. "This is how I was dressed when I fought on the streets. I'm comfortable this way." 

Mackey produced another set of training gloves and socks, similar to the ones that Nene had worn. 

Once she was outfitted, Priss tested the feel of the equipment. When it was clear that she had finished her personal assessment, she glanced at Sylia expectantly. 

"Start whenever you're ready." Sylia's personal amusement at the pending match showed as a mild smirk. 

Priss gave a brief bow to Sylvie, who responded in kind. Then they both straightened as they started their match. 

Priss flinched as she obviously wanted to launch into an opening attack, but then froze almost immediately. 

Only Sylvie could see that Priss's eyes showed that she was focused internally, rather than on her. She tilted her head curiously and prompted, "Priss?" 

The action apparently jolted Priss back from her distraction. Without another pause, Priss lunged. 

The tiny audience was treated to an impressive display of well-aimed kicks and punches, each expertly blocked or deflected with minimal effort. What was different about this match was that even though no hits were technically registering on the training program, Sylvie actually started relenting some ground as her attacker pressed forward. 

"Wow," Mackey murmured as the other two women watched in growing appreciation. 

Sylia watched Sylvie's expression curiously, noticing that the boomer actually seemed to portray all of the subtleties of human concentration, from a narrowed gaze and a firmly set jaw. Sylia felt pleased at the signs of just how comfortable the boomer was becoming with expressing herself in unconscious, human ways. 

Suddenly, without warning and in a blur of motion, Sylvie blocked Priss's last punch with one hand and landed a hard slap on Priss's cheek with the other. The contact was hard enough to snap Priss's head back and cause her to tumble backwards, landing on the mat with an ungraceful thud. 

Everyone else was too speechless and stunned to react right away. 

Priss's reaction was nothing less than complete shock as she dabbed the tip of the glove at the corner of her mouth and saw fresh blood on it. 

Sylvie calmly stood her ground, clearly waiting for Priss to resume the match. The boomer's face was cold and determined, no traces of the pleasant shop-girl anywhere in her demeanor. 

"Um - " Sylia began. 

Completely ignoring everything else, an enraged Priss flipped to her feet and lunged at Sylvie in a series of kicks and punches that made the first round look as if they were conducted in slow motion. Again, each attack was blocked, but this time Sylvie held her ground. 

In a blur of speed, Priss then spun into her most powerful roundhouse kick, aiming right for Sylvie's head. Not only was the blow blocked, but in the next instant, Priss felt herself dangling upside down, with Sylvie holding her up by her leg. 

**"PUT ME DOWN, BITCH!"** Priss immediately demanded, obviously furious at the predicament she found herself in. 

_"PRISS, DON'T - !"_ Sylia's warning came too late as Sylvie immediately responded to the order and dropped her opponent on to her head. 

"Shit!" Priss remarked from her weary position on the mat as she rubbed her sore neck. 

Her docile manner returning, Sylvie held out a hand and said, "Can I help -?" 

Priss glared at her and said, "Don't come near me!" 

She stood and ripped off the training gear, tossing it to the side. Without another word, she stormed towards the elevator, wiping the corner of her bleeding mouth with the hem of her T-shirt. 

Once she was gone, the three remaining humans stared in shock at the boomer. 

"So is practice over?" Sylvie asked them with a curious tilt of her head. 

"Um, yes," Sylia said, slowly trying to take charge of the situation. "Nene, why don't you take a shower and, Mackey, why don't you put away the equipment?" 

Getting the hint, the couple left, allowing the women to have a private conversation. 

Sylia studied the boomer with a curious but still critical gaze. "So what happened to 'defensive mode' only?" 

"She was struggling in the first round," the boomer answered. "It was as if she was forcing herself to concentrate when it should have been much easier for her. I decided that I needed to help her focus." Sylvie glanced at the direction of the elevator and looked back at her. "You were right that she fights better when she's angry. I did not mean to end the match in such a humiliating move for her, but she would have broken her foot had she made contact with me." 

Sylia shook her head to herself as she rubbed her temples. "Well, part of the joys of being sentient is that you're responsible for your own actions. I strongly suggest you go apologize to her _after_ she's calmed down." 

Sylvie bowed and said, "I had planned to do that. Are we finished so that I may also take a shower?" 

Sylia narrowed her gaze at her, obviously wanting to ask another question. But thinking better of it, she merely said, "Go ahead." 

Once alone, Sylia scanned the data from both matches and smiled to herself. She was glad to see that her team wasn't as rusty as she had feared, but Sylvie's way of proving it might have some repercussions, especially with Priss, and in more ways than one if she was reading the vibes between the two of them correctly. 

Sylia then felt the unpleasantly familiar twinge of discomfort at her side, a signal that the painkiller had worn off. She then looked at her watch and decided to turn in for the night, knowing that her body was still demanding focused healing time. Then again, she wasn't _that_ tired yet and decided a call to Nigel would be in order. 

-- End Chapter 52 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	54. 10/2 - Living Ghosts

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 53: Living Ghosts 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

With her eyes opened but unseeing, Priss remained curled up in a ball on her bed. She tried to fight down the feelings of overwhelming anxiety within her. Her body shook with her rapid heartbeats, and her breath came in ragged pants. The only clear thought that raged through her mind was her aching need to regain control over these illogical and dangerous emotions. 

Then she felt the hand on her shoulder. 

Priss instantly responded with the desperate cry and reflexes of a cornered prey, fighting against a surprise attack for survival. 

Leveraging her superior weight and strength, Sylvie easily subdued Priss and pinned her down on her back. The boomer remained calm but firm as she hovered over her, still maintaining a grip on the other woman's wrists and resting her weight on her knees. 

"Priss, it's Sylvie," she said calmly, her eyes searching for some sort of recognition in the fearful gaze. "I'm not here to hurt you." 

Suddenly, Priss became limp as comprehension suddenly shown in her eyes. Slowly regaining control of her breath, Priss stared at her with familiar focus and intensity. 

Seeing that their position was now more awkward than necessary, Sylvie immediately got up and sat down on the edge of the bed. Fresh from a shower, she had been dressed in casual pants and a blouse. 

"I'm sorry for coming in like this," she explained. "I came to apologize for hitting you. You didn't respond when I knocked, and I heard unusual respiratory activity. So I let myself in." 

Priss swallowed as she remained stretched out on the bed and said with a chuckle, "I guess I should be grateful you didn't catch me doing something else." 

Sylvie actually smiled and said, "I assure you that I'm programmed to recognize the sounds of _that_... Are you truly all right?" 

Priss looked at the hem of her blood stained T-shirt and mused, "I bet I sure don't look it. Sweat, bruises and blood are never a pleasant combination." 

Instead of answering, Sylvie got up from the bed and walked into the adjacent bathroom. 

Priss could hear the sound of water running as she wearily sat up, pressing her back against the headboard. 

Sylvie emerged with a wet washcloth and sat down in her spot on the bed again. She then picked up a jar from the nightstand that Priss hadn't noticed before. 

"This is a medical cream to help with the swelling and to promote healing," Sylvie explained as she prepared the washcloth. "It works best if you apply it right away." 

Priss didn't move as she watched and felt Sylvie gently wipe her face of the traces of dried sweat and blood. She hadn't noticed it before but her right cheek and corner of her mouth felt a little numb and swollen, and Sylvie cleaned the area with extra care. 

"Why are you doing this?" Priss asked the woman who was just inches away from her. 

With her eyes focused on her task, Sylvie answered, "I'm responsible for your wound. This is the least I should do." 

The boomer then reached for the jar and started to twist open the top, but Priss stopped her with a gentle grab of her hand. 

"I can do this myself," Priss stated. 

Sylvie paused at first, but then relented and handed the jar over. "I saw a hand-mirror in the bathroom. Let me get that for you." 

During the boomer's brief absence, Priss opened the jar, sniffed the contents, and decided it smelled like it should help. When Sylvie returned and held up the mirror for her, Priss took a dab of the salve and began to apply it to her swollen flesh. 

"So why did you hit me?" Priss asked. 

Sylvie dropped her gaze and said, "I didn't mean to hit you that hard. I had miscalculated how much damage I would do." 

"It's all right. The damage is done," she answered. "But you still didn't answer my question... That must mean you really are more human than boomer these days." 

Sylvie then looked Priss right in the eye and said, "Because of my particular area of expertise, Sylia told me about Galatea, and your experiences in your final battle with her. She strongly suspects it is the reason behind why you froze in your fight with the construction boomer. And I came to the conclusion that that is why you had a hard time fighting me today. Galatea's desire to protect her children must be ingrained in you at some unconscious level so that you find yourself unable to harm a boomer without a little... incentive." 

Priss stared at her for a moment and then said, "So pissing me off was the incentive?" 

"Reminding you that you are indeed human was the incentive," Sylvie clarified. 

Priss actually dropped her own gaze as she closed the jar and put it on the nightstand, showing that she was done and that Sylvie could put the mirror away. 

When Sylvie once again emerged from the bathroom, she noticed that Priss was watching the serene display of swimming fish before her. 

After a moment of silence, the boomer then asked, "Do you want me to leave?" 

"Do you remember anything about the Plaza Slaughter?" Priss asked, not taking her gaze away from the large aquarium before her. 

Sylvie winced and sat down on the edge of the bed again. "I don't remember anything in terms of stored data or visual images. But I feel deep down that I have done something terribly wrong that I can't ever make amends for." 

"What about when you tried to kill Linna? What were you thinking then?" 

"Only about my task," she admitted softly, her regret clearly evident. "I was in direct command mode. All other thought activities are suspended, not that I was capable of much extraneous thought processing then. And that was prior to the enhancements that Sylia and the others applied to me. I know it was me that tried to do that... task. But it doesn't feel like the me who is here now. It's as if I am talking about another Sylvie who existed in the past even though I know deep down we are one and the same. Yet, I am constantly fearful that something will trigger this assassination command to become active again, and I will revert to the old me, no matter how much intellectual freedom and consciousness I've gained." 

She looked over to find Priss had been staring at her, watching her as she spoke. The boomer suddenly felt unsure at her words and said, "I'm sorry if that didn't make any sense. I am still trying to process some sort of logic behind everything I've gone through, about what kind of person I was and want to be." 

Priss actually gave her a sad smile and said, "It makes perfect sense to me. At least you're dealing with it, instead of running away." 

Sylvie tilted her head curiously at her and asked, "Is that what you think you did when you left Tokyo with Leon and your band?" 

Priss's cheeks turned red as she focused back on the fish. "There was some unfinished business involved too. Coming back to Tokyo just means that I now have to face the music and grow up." 

"You do love Leon?" Sylvie asked. 

"Yeah, but not in the way he wants me to," Priss answered softly. 

"I've read many stories where that is a common theme to the human existence," remarked the boomer. There was almost a wistful sadness underscoring her words. 

Priss took a strengthening breath and said, "Look, I'm probably the last person you should be talking to about the joys of becoming human. If you'll excuse me, I need to turn in. I'm feeling pretty wiped out after our little sparring match." 

She looked at Sylvie to find the other woman gently smiling at her. 

"Talking to you has provided me with a lot of insight I would not have gained otherwise," she said as she stood to leave. 

Priss grinned out of the unbruised corner of her mouth. "It's nice to talk to someone who truly understands for a change." 

-- End Chapter 53 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	55. 10/2 - Unfinished Business

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 4: Hunger 

Chapter 54: Unfinished Business 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

On the tiny phone-screen, Linna's expression was clearly shock. _"Oh my God, Priss! What happened to you?!"_

As she sat on her bed, Priss shrugged and touched the injured corner of her mouth with her tongue. "I had a sparring match with Sylvie and found out she's got one hell of a mean bitch-slap. Guess it's my fault for taking your lead in facing off against a boomer without a hardsuit." 

Ignoring the last dig, Linna blurted, "It looks pretty bad. Are you sure you're okay?" 

"It looks worse than it feels," Priss answered casually. "The only real drawback is that I can't really sing for at least a week. Which I guess is okay since the guys are taking their time getting back to Tokyo. So far Jaid is the only one who's shown up. -- Hey, is anyone holding the phone for you?" 

"No, it's a special phone mounted on a swivel arm attached to the nightstand. It's a model used for hospital patients who are restricted like me. It's voice activated and everything. It's pretty cool." 

Priss let out a chuckle and said, "You sound like Nene. By the way, she told me to tell you 'hi' and that she really misses you." 

"Boy, I miss her, too," Linna said wistfully. "I guess it's a good sign that I'm really starting to go stir-crazy. Mrs. Takeuchi and Kou are supposed to bring a special wheelchair today for me so I can get a change of scenery. I'll still need someone to push it, but at least it's better than being stuck in this room all day." 

"Sounds like you're really on the path to recovery." 

Linna then had that now-familiar look of uncomfortable hesitancy. "So, um, have you spoken to Leon?" 

Priss narrowed her eyes and said, "No. Why do you ask?" 

"Just asking." With a small sigh, Linna then gave her a firm look and said, "I'm not trying to stick my nose into your business with him, but what you two are going through isn't something small. You either need to resolve it or get closure. Dragging it out isn't doing either of you any good." 

"Humph," Priss snorted with a frown. "I'll remember to offer you unwanted advice when you're finally in a relationship." 

Linna's face flushed red with anger. "Look, Priss, you know I can see through that 'tough girl' routine! It's your way of hiding your hurt. I just want to see that hurt stop." 

Priss lowered her gaze as she reluctantly turned the words over in her mind. Finally she sighed and said to Linna, "I know you care. And I'm sorry for snapping at you. Things are just really complicated right now. And it's more than just Leon... Besides, I shouldn't see him right now anyway. This bruise won't get a good reaction from him. I'm sure he'll immediately blame it on my being a Knight Saber again." 

"That's really unfortunate since I knew he was one of your biggest fans," Linna commented truthfully. She may not have truly liked Leon, but even she had to admit he was a good guy, better than most in fact. "... What's this about complications besides Leon?" 

Priss opened her mouth to speak but stopped. 

"Is this related to your hardsuit freezing on you?" Linna guessed. 

"Look, I _said_ it was complicated!" Priss insisted even though her blush hinted that Linna had hit a sore spot. 

_"Fine!"_ Linna retorted, her own stubbornness coming to the surface. 

Although neither of them spoke, neither one of them hung up the phone either, resulting in a long silence. 

"Linna," Priss reluctantly began, not able to look at the screen as she spoke, "I never told you this but when you and Nene caught me and Leon kissing on the roof during Galatea, that was after he told me he thought I was in love with someone. Before I could shut him up, he went on to say that even though he knew he didn't have a chance, he just wanted to be around me. At the time, I thought he meant I was in love with... someone you don't know. But, well, when we had our fight the other night... He asked me if I was going to go back to you." 

The long silence that followed finally gave Priss the nerve to look at the phone-screen, only to see a thoroughly embarrassed Linna looking off to the side. "Linna?" 

Barely making eye-contact herself, her best friend nervously swallowed and responded, "I - I, uh, can see where he might have thought things about us since we always hung around together, and neither one of us was dating anyone else." 

Even though her own face was red, Priss just nodded and said, "Yeah, that must've been it. - So do you want me to come over today?" 

Linna jumped at the change in subject and said, "Um, I'm not sure when they're supposed to come back with the wheelchair. How about this evening? Like around dinner? Since I have to eat in bed anyway, it would be nice to have some company then. I'll tell them to fix you something, too. Means you'll have to feed me though." 

Priss grinned and said, "Sure, that should be interesting. See you at six, then?" 

"Looking forward to it. Bye." 

* * * * * 

Sylvie remain frozen as she stood in front of Priss's door, still holding the tray of cookies she had just baked. Although she knew it was anatomically impossible, she felt her stomach drop at the sound of the conversation ending. She could already feel the direct command algorithms start to launch, knowing she would have only five more seconds of independent thought. 

She hadn't meant to eavesdrop on the conversation, only listening at first to see if Priss was indeed in her room. But when she heard the conversation, and heard who Priss was speaking to, she couldn't pull away. And she honestly didn't want to. She wanted to hear this side of Priss that she had not been privy to before, and probably would never be again. 

As she listened, she knew that her sensors were locking onto the radio frequency of the phone, analyzing the data bits she began to realize that it was a private landline number Priss had called which would be easy to trace. Yet, as much as she regretted her automated responses, there was a part of her that pushed for the information. There was a new feeling surfacing in her that was not pleasant and had the aura of danger. 

This Linna Yamazaki was no longer just a meaningless person. This woman meant something to Priss different than anyone else. It was obvious in the way Priss spoke to her and in what they talked about. Linna Yamazaki was no longer just a target; she was a threat to Sylvie becoming the most important person to Priss. And there was a part of Sylvie who did not want her around for that reason. 

The feeling, sentient side of her was horrified at the cold, gruesome thoughts suddenly processing in her mind. She knew in her core that conflict was a condition of humans, not boomers. And a boomer was what she was no matter what programming and hardware enhancements took place. Priss would never view her as anything other than that. 

With that final conclusion, she surrendered to the processes that had already begun to control her actions. 

She knew that Sylia was asleep with Nigel, Henderson was in the kitchen, and Nene and Mackey were expected to show up until lunch time. She focused her attention back on Priss's room and heard the sound of experimental guitar playing. 

With a final glance at the closed door, she turned on her heel and proceeded to walk away, towards the Pit. 

-- End Chapter 54 -- 

-- End "Part 4: Hunger" -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	56. 10/2 - Dangerous Toys

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 55: Dangerous Toys 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

The shrill beep of the alarm pierced the otherwise peaceful atmosphere of the Silky Doll building, causing Sylia to sit bolt upright in bed. Of course, that action also caused her to wince in pain. 

Nigel also sat upright, first focusing on the alarm and then on his lover's pained grimace. 

"That's the boomer sensor alarm!" Sylia hissed between gritted teeth, trying to bring their focus back to the more important matter at hand. "It would only go off if a boomer tried to come in the building!" 

"Or leave." 

They looked at each other as they suddenly had the same thought. Then there was a flurry of tossed bedsheets and blankets as Sylia grabbed her robe and Nigel pulled on his boxer shorts and t-shirt. 

"Mistress Sylia?! Master Nigel?" an alarmed Henderson questioned when he ran into them in the hallway. 

"Where's Sylvie?!" she demanded. 

The butler looked bewildered and then horrified at the obvious reasoning behind the question. "I-I haven't seen her in half an hour or so. She was going to take some cookies to Priss." 

"She never came by!" Priss blurted as she ran up to them. 

After a brief exchange of horrified looks, the four of them then rushed to the freight elevator, which would be the most direct route from the upper floors down to the pit. 

* * * * * 

"They're completely damaged," Nigel yelled up to the command booth upon finishing his brief inspection of the hardsuit frames and inner-metal pumps. "There's no way to do a quick fix on these!" 

Sylia registered his words with an even darker frown as she frantically typed various commands into the main computer. 

"What are you looking for?" an anxious Priss asked over her shoulder. She wanted to do something - anything - but the lack of a suitable outlet was driving her nuts. She did the only thing she could do, which was shove a cookie in her mouth from the tray that had been left behind on the command chair. 

_"DAMN IT!"_ Sylia yelled as she smashed her fist into the keyboard, sending plastic pieces flying as some gouged into her hand. Her body trembled with rage. "She wiped out the kill-switch commands!" 

"Hey, everyone, what's going on?" Nene asked as she and Mackey rushed in. "Mackey heard the alarms when we were coming up the block." 

Sylia paced frantically as she ran her hands through her hair, not at all noticing the smear of blood through her strands. "Come on, Sylia, _THINK!_ There's got to be a rational explanation for this!" 

Priss looked at the confused newcomers and answered simply, "Sylvie's gone and she's sabotaged the hardsuit equipment as well as wiped out her kill-switch commands from the main computer." 

The horrified and bewildered reactions came as expected, but so did the frantic mental churning for some sort of solution to the problem. 

"Do you think she was called back to Genom?" Nene asked anyone who would give her a response. 

Sylia shook her head as she juggled the question with her own thought process. "It's possible but extremely unlikely. We buffered this building from receiving foreign transmissions just as Sylvie couldn't send signals out. Unless Genom managed to deploy a special frequency that we haven't been able to dampen, she shouldn't have heard anything. But that wouldn't make sense of why she would damage the hardsuits and wipe out the kill-switch commands. 

"She had complete freedom within the building. We wouldn't have noticed her absence by the time she reached Genom, and by then she would have been 'safe' from anything we held over her. She didn't know about the boomer sensors so she never would have known her departure from the building would have been noticed right away. She purposefully took the time to sabotage the suits and the kill-switch commands. The only reason why she would do that would be that she considered them necessary precautions to whatever she was planning. --" 

Nene's eyes suddenly bugged out as she realized where Sylia was headed. "Her direct command mode! Those extra algorithms we just uncovered the other day! Oh my God!" 

"Someone speak Japanese!" Priss practically yelled for clarification as Nigel appeared at the doorway as well. 

Nene complied but spoke at the speed of a machine firing, "Priss, one of the key parts of Sylvie's combat programming is that when she is in direct command mode, she had enough intelligence to assess a situation and remove any obstacles that might prevent her from completing her task. She apparently considered the hardsuits and the kill-switch command to be direct threats to be eliminated before she proceeded." 

Priss was trying to process what Nene had just said and clearly started to form an unpleasant picture, "The only direct command left that we know of is her order to assassinate Linna! But, it makes no sense why it would be triggered now after all this time!" 

"It would if she suddenly found out where Linna is!" Sylia insisted. Then she stared at Priss and demanded, "Did you call Linna this morning? Sylvie has frequency sensors that could have picked up the signal and traced the call!" 

Priss eyes widened in angry disbelief. "That's fucking nuts! I called Linna like I do _every_ morning! If that made a difference, then why didn't Sylvie react before?!" 

_"Because she didn't have a crush on you before!"_ Sylia yelled in desperation. 

"WHAT?!" a shocked Priss blurted. 

"The point is that we have to stop her somehow if she really is after Linna!" Mackey pointed out as he logged into one of the other terminals. "She couldn't have gotten far if she's on foot." 

"Don't count on that," Nigel grimly pointed out. He had also logged into one of the other terminals and had been checking the various shots from the security cameras. He tapped on the view of the garage. "Priss's bike is missing." 

_"WHAT?!"_ the singer blurted for the second time in as many minutes. _"How the hell does she know how to ride my bike?!"_

"She's programmed to fly a jet fighter! What do you think?!" Sylia angrily pointed out, though it was it clear that her rage was primarly at herself and the situation. 

Then she steeled herself and ordered, "Henderson, call Reika and tell her to clear the compound as soon as possible, with evacuation priority on Linna and the children. Nigel and Mackey, try to see if you can capture Sylvie's signal and pinpoint her location. Her direct command mode also means she'd emit a tracking signal back to Genom. Also keep an eye on Genom's communications systems and let me know if they pick her up. Priss and Nene, we've got a last resort option to stop her down in my private lab. Let's go!" 

* * * * * 

"I should be returning by the time we're ready to deliver the first version models," Madigan reported to Quincy as they were in his office. She sat in the chair in front of his desk while he leaned against the window with a glass of scotch in his hand. "Dr. Yuri has proven quite capable of running his team with minimal supervision. However, I will continue to call and check on his status." 

Quincy shook his head and said, "Don't bother. Enjoy your vacation. I'll handle -" 

Suddenly the phone in Quincy's vest pocket went off, as did Madigan's, which was on her belt. 

The two executives paused and looked at each other. Quincy answered his first and signalled to Madigan to have her call go to voicemail. 

"This is Quincy... What?!" the man's tone immediately turned into pleased surprise. Realizing that Madigan's curiosity was piqued, he repeated the information for her sake, "You've suddenly registered Sylvie's signal, and she's still within the city?... But she's heading west as if she's in some sort of high speed vehicle?... Dispatch the other girls by helicopter and figure out a rendezvous point. I want her brought back as soon as possible and in one piece! Understood?! I'm heading down to the control room now!" 

The President and CEO of Genom Corporation hung up the phone with an immensely pleased smile. "Well? You can go off on your vacation or stick around for a bit to see how this turns out." 

Madigan smiled and stood. "This is one show I wouldn't want to miss." 

-- End Chapter 55 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	57. 10/2 - Kamikaze

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 56: Kamikaze 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"I _knew_ you had a secret set of hardsuits stashed somewhere!" Nene exclaimed in relief and excitement once she looked at the display of the four ready suits near the wall. 

Sylia broke out into a grim smile as she pressed some buttons on the wall panel. There was a hum and as one, each of the suits bent forward and opened to allow their respective owners to climb in for occupancy. 

"They're actually functional prototypes," Sylia quickly explained. "After Galatea, I decided to tinker with more design options. I didn't like how much time and preparation the Galatea versions required so I decided to see if I could make similar versions that were pre-formed like your first set of hardsuits. It'll be a tight wiggle to get into them, and yes, you'd still be naked, but these could be deployed remotely as well as by yourself. I'm just grateful that I never allowed Sylvie in here or she would have destroyed them as well." 

"So how functional are these?" Priss asked as she started to take off her clothes, dumping them on the nearby examination table. 

"They should be one hundred percent but I haven't run a full diagnostic test on all of them. I didn't finish them because I eventually decided to take the leap of faith that perhaps the Knight Sabers could finally retire after all. My suit is the only one that I've thoroughly checked and know is fine. But since the suits are all custom-fitted neither one of you can wear it." 

As she took off her own clothes, Nene frowned at the way Sylia still pressed her hand against her side. "Sylia, are you going to go out too?" 

Sylia flashed a reassuring smile and said, "I couldn't wiggle into this version in my current condition, much less fight in one." 

"So it'll be just me and Nene?" Priss muttered as she approached her suit. She suddenly faltered in her step as her eyes widened due to some internal reaction. 

Sylia frowned and opened her mouth to speak but then she was cut off by Mackey's voice over the intercom. 

"We've found her!" he announced. "She's still on the main highway within the city. At the speed she's going and with traffic, we calculated that it'll be another twenty-five minutes before she gets to Reika's. If you dispatch within the next five minutes, you'll stop her in plenty of time. You'll also be outside of the city limits so you should have free reign to do what you have to." 

"Genom's also found her too and are tracking her by satellite!" Nigel's voice added. "I just intercepted a deployment order for Sylvie's sisters by helicopter!" 

"Thanks! And keep us posted of anything new!" Sylia yelled back to the receiving microphones. She then frowned as she mulled the situation. "Damn! That's four to two odds now! One to one is risky enough. Looks like I'm going to have to join you after all." 

"So then you _are_ going to wear your hardsuit?" Nene nervously asked, even sounding a little hopeful in her voice. She had already started to squeeze into her own combat armor as she got ready. 

With a sly smile, she shook her head. "There are other things I can do to help even the odds!" She pushed other codes into the control panel, which caused humming to be heard as the door to one of the adjacent rooms slid open expectantly. "A hardsuit would actually get in the way this time. -- Priss, I want you to deploy first. Nene and I will catch up with you." 

A look of hesitancy and fear broke out on the singer's face, a reaction that even Nene noticed. 

"But - " Priss stared at the hardsuit before her. Her face clearly showed that she was trying to fight down some internal panic growing within her. 

Sylia looked at her firmly and said, "You have the best lead right now to stop Sylvie before anyone else arrives. So it'll still be a one to one fight. Just keep in mind that you're doing this for Linna! And for Sylvie. Don't you think she'd want you to stop her if you could? And we'll be keeping an eye on you." 

"Priss, you can do it!" Nene insisted frantically, realizing her support was needed as well. "Linna and the real Sylvie are counting on you!" 

Priss stared at the ready suit before her and swallowed. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and reopened her eyes with a determined expression. Even though she went through the motions of getting into her suit, her face clearly showed the haunted look of a woman facing her own execution. 

"Nene, make certain Priss launches fine!" Sylia ordered, as she discarded her robe and walked towards the waiting room. "You'll have to do it from the launch tube in the pit. When she's gone, wait for me there. I should only take five minutes!" 

* * * * * 

_Do I fight for control? Or do I just let go and trust my body as I normally do? But isn't that how I froze the last time?_

Priss's mind frantically raced through its monologue as she felt herself sail through the air. She ran through every conceivable option and didn't trust the outcomes of any of them. The fight with the construction boomers also replayed in her mind, creating more panic and uncertainty as to how she was to approach this impending battle. 

Sylvie said the key was for Priss to remind herself that she was human. 

_But doesn't any kind of emotion qualify as being human? Boomers don't experience panic or fear or doubts. Boomers don't fight because they're motivated by the horror of innocent lives being killed, or by the fierce desire to protect a loved one. And boomers don't function with the constant fear that their own bodies could betray them at any moment. So what the hell was the key to breaking Galatea's unconscious control?! _

But sentient boomers **do** feel emotion. You know that, Priss. There is no difference so stop trying to fight and just accept who you really are! 

Priss's heart beat so hard that it felt like it was trying to burst not only out of her body but the hardsuit as well. 

"Priss, take a deep breath and focus!" Nigel's voice firmly and calmly coached her through the comm-link. "You need your full concentration to confront Sylvie. Don't give her an advantage over you!" 

"Ri-Right, Nigel," Priss responded with a deep breath and a swallow as she bounced off another rooftop. 

She knew she had to get her act together. Despite what Sylia said, she knew she had no backup this time. It was all or nothing. 

Just as that thought settled in her mind, she looked down at the long stretch of countryside before her, critically eyeing the road. Then she saw the familiar figure on the extremely familiar vehicle. 

"I see her!" she reported back through the comm-link. 

"Go for it!" Nigel said. "Nene and Sylia should be there in three minutes. Genom is also in the air. They should be arriving around the same time!" 

"Got it!" 

Priss took a final breath and adjusted her thrusters to change her trajectory a bit so she that could line herself up with Sylvie's travel path. 

Wearing a simple dress with the skirt hiked up around her hips in the complete lack of boomer moedsty, Sylvie was hunched over the machine, her white hair flying like a banner in the wind. She glanced back at the figure hovering in the sky behind her, showing that she acknowledged the other's presence as well, but made no move other than to speed up. 

When Sylvie reached a stretch of the hillside road that was finally clear of other vehicles, Priss lunged in for the attack. The Knight Saber dive-bombed with precise accuracy, nailing Sylvie with a tackle. The collision sent the two of them and the motorcycle skidding across the asphalt surface, through the guardrails and down the hill-side into the forest below. 

Priss's arm-lock around Sylvie's waist gave her a split second advantage in the mad tumble. Before they finished their roll, she pulled her arm back to land a knuckle-bomb enhanced punch, and felt it freeze again. 

Taking advantage of the hesitancy, Sylvie slammed her elbow into Priss's chest, knocking the Knight Saber flying into the nearby tree. 

_"PRISS!_ Are you okay?!" Mackey blurted after hearing the sound of the second collision. 

Priss scrambled to her feet as she tried to focus through the impact of the hit. "I'm fine! The suit absorbed it but I'm still a bit rattled." She noticed that her arm was still locked in its attack position. 

The Knight Saber then looked up to find Sylvie charging at her. The boomer suffered superficial damage from the crash. Her dress was torn and her artificial skin ripped from the upper right side of her face, revealing the glistening metal skull with the white eye in its socket. 

The sight shocked Priss, finally dispelling any lingering doubts in her mind of what Sylvie truly was, the kind that stayed until you saw certain things for yourself. Unfortunately, it was a split second reaction that gave Sylvie the opening she needed. 

The boomer fully tackled the Knight Saber, sending them both crashing through the already damaged tree, tumbling into the clearing beyond. Sylvie had one arm locked around Priss's neck as she rabbit-punched her in the side. 

Priss tried to punch back with her free arm and found that it also froze into a neutral and helpless position. 

_SHIT!_ she thought frantically as she felt her panic attack come back in full force. 

Then she felt herself block everything out. Nigel and Mackey's frantic words through the comm-link, the rattling pounding that her hardsuit and body were taking, and the sheer helplessness of her situation. She wanted to shut down and run away -- just like before. 

But then a voice made its way through the chaos. The distinct words that were repeated in a hauntingly familiar voice. Priss couldn't tell if she actually heard it through her ears or if it was a mental connection of some sort. 

It was Sylvie, repeating over and over, _"Please kill me, Priss!"_

-- End Chapter 56 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	58. 10/9 - Rock 'n Roll!

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 57: Rock 'n Roll! 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Sylvie's voice was suddenly gone along with the pounding. 

Priss blinked back to reality when she felt the thud of Sylvie's body collapse on top of hers. 

_"Sylvie?!"_ she cried in horror at the unseeing eyes and blank expression. She smacked the metallic cheek and yelled, _"Please, answer me!"_

"Priss! She can't hear you!" Sylia said. 

Realizing that her voice wasn't coming from inside her helmet comm-link, Priss looked up to see two figures standing before her. 

Nene in her hardsuit stood quietly to the side while an unfamiliar figure captured their attention. 

Sylia was almost unrecognizable in her black, military-style jumpsuit with combat boots and gloves. Her gray hair was pinned up under a black baseball cap and her eyes were hidden behind thick black visors. She wore a radio headset with mini-microphone and an armored vest. At her waist was a double holster with a pistol at each hip. A stylized sniper's rifle with an unusually thick barrel was gripped in her left hand while her right one held a small remote control. The only other thing about Sylia's attire was a strange metallic collar around her neck, which had small red buttons that glowed, indicating that it was an electronic device of some sort. 

All of those details were absorbed by Priss and immediately discarded once she saw that Sylia's remote was the reason behind the lifeless form in her arms. Priss remembered seeing Sylia tinkering with the gadget when she came to the Silky Doll the day after her return and knew what it signified. 

"DAMN YOU!" Priss roared as she lunged, her rage blocking out everything except the need for immediate vengeance. She didn't even notice that her arms were fully functional again. 

In a flash of an eye, Sylia dropped the remote and whipped out a pistol to shoot Priss in the shoulder. 

The bullet didn't scratch the hardsuit but it was enough to knock the enraged Knight Saber back a step and to her senses, which was Sylia's intent. 

"Priss!" Nene cried as she rushed to her friend, who was down on her hands and knees. 

"You've got company!" Nigel's voice announced through their various comm-links. 

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the trio heard the sound of a helicopter zoom over the hilltop. 

"Nene, get into position!" Sylia ordered as she zoomed in on the helicopter with the binocular mode of her visor. "Priss, _this_ is the time we need your rage!" 

Priss fought back her turmoil as she tried to focus and get up. She watched Nene rush over and plant herself with her back towards Sylia as the helicopter drew near. She knew she should get ready to fight, but she looked down at the fallen Sylvie and couldn't bring herself to move away from her. 

The aircraft swooped low over the clearing and three figures in blue jumpsuits without parachutes dropped like bombs from the open door. They dropped down at the other edge of the clearing and charged forward, each wielding a machine gun and firing away. 

The only person at real risk from the charge of gunfire and boomers was Sylia, who looked incredibly calm as she readied her rifle, aiming over Nene's slightly crouching form. With precise aim, she fired. 

The lead boomer was hit right in the eye, her head and body snapping back from the force. She had only stumbled back a step when the projectile lodged into her eye socket exploded. The force wasn't enough to do more than warp the opening her cranium, but it was enough to disconnect and rupture the wiring and circuits in her brain cavity. She fell to her knees helplessly as her companion was also hit with a shot to the eye. 

"Nene, they're yours now!" Sylia yelled, giving the youngest Knight Saber the signal to charge. Also seeing that now she had no cover against the barrage of gunfire, she dove to the ground, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her ribs triggered by the gun recoil. "Priss, that last one's heading for you! I can't get a clear shot at her!" 

Priss didn't hear Sylia and she didn't need to. All she could focus on was this petite woman in a blue jumpsuit suit charging at her with a blazing machine gun. The bullets bounced off her hardsuit but were forceful enough to knock her back off her feet. The last thing she saw before she went down was her attacker running in a direct line towards Sylvie's fallen form. 

_"Stay away from her, Bitch!" _Priss roared as she scrambled to her feet and lunged, using her thrusters to add impact to her tackle. 

Sylia smiled as she saw her friend and teammate unleash her full fury on the combat boomer. 

The hits weren't precise enough for a quick, clean kill - but that wasn't the point of rage. Priss repeatedly hit and slugged the struggling boomer with such force and repetition that it was clear who the victor would be even if the fight lasted a while. 

Nene, meanwhile, had an easy time dispatching one partially blind boomer and then the other crippled one. 

Sylia looked up at the helicopter circling overhead and zoomed her visor in on it to see if there were any figures on board. "Nigel!" she yelled into the microphone, "Do you know if there are any people on board the chopper?" 

"Negative! It's on autopilot, being controlled by one of the boomers. Most likely the one Priss is fighting since the other two are down." 

"Good! Take control of it and land it at the edge of the clearing!" 

"Roger!" 

Sylia looked to see Priss standing victoriously over the twisted form of metal, cloth and artificial skin that had been a top-model combat boomer. Seeing that all of the boomers had been taken care of, Sylia turned off her collar. It was a dampener against white noise since she wouldn't have been insulated in a hardsuit like the other two. She picked up the fallen remote control and slipped it into her pocket as she got to her feet. 

"What do we do now?" Nene asked as she approached her. 

Priss also walked towards them, or more precisely, towards Sylvie. Her posture was that of someone whose soul had been ripped from her despite the victory that she had just had. 

"Priss! She's still alive. I only shut her down!" Sylia said reassuringly. 

Obviously amazed, Priss whipped her helmeted head towards her. "Then she's not dead?" 

"Not yet! But we need to get her back to the Pit and on life support as soon as possible. Do it now while Nigel and Mackey still have the satellite blackout in effect!" Sylia smiled as she saw Priss immediately scoop up her fallen comrade and proceed to jump away. 

"What about us?" Nene asked. 

"Do you mind gathering the boomer parts and putting them back in the helicopter? I want to send a special present to Genom," Sylia said as she wearily pressed her hand against the intense pain at her side. "Meanwhile, I need to take some aspirin and figure out what I have to say." 

"You mean to _me?!"_ a clearly displeased Reika announced as she stepped out of a car that had pulled up to the edge of the clearing. Behind her were two more cars full of her security team. 

Sylia peered over the black visors and flashed a weak smile. "Ah, your ears must have been burning!" 

Reika dangerously narrowed her eyes at her before giving the order to her team to help with the cleanup. 

* * * * * 

" -- Anri's signal just went out," the nervous technician reported once the reading went flat on the final active boomer. "The chopper's signal has also been knocked out." 

The room was quiet as twenty people were afraid to breathe wrong given the way their President and CEO stood stone-still and stared at the large black screen before them. 

"Madigan," he finally said through gritted teeth, clearly trying to keep himself calm. 

"Sir?" 

"I strongly recommend you go on your vacation right now," he said in a low voice. "There is going to be plenty of work to do when you get back." 

"Yes, sir." 

-- End Chapter 57 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	59. 10/9 - In For A Penny

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 58: In For A Penny 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

_"HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND?!" _Reika yelled at the top of her lungs. 

Sylia quietly leaned back against the control panels in her private lab, grateful that she chosen an extremely secure place to have this conversation with her ex-girlfriend. Still dressed in her combat outfit from the battle not more than an hour before, she folded her arms and listened quietly with a bowed head as she got the verbal barrage she knew she deserved. 

Reika angrily pointed at the screen, which showed the view of Sylvie strapped to an examination table with cables attached to her neck to keep her alive. "I cannot believe you are still keeping her around after what just happened! Maybe it was my fault that I didn't say anything when you first told me what you were doing with her, even though I _really_ wanted to, but after she's proven what kind of a danger she is, you still have her? Sylia, the threat to my family home and staff shouldn't have to be part of this conversation! I thought you cared about Linna! Why are you willing to risk her life _AGAIN?!"_

Sylia didn't try hiding her flinches at the words that cut deeper than any physical wound she had ever received. Noticing the sudden silence, she peered up to see Reika glaring at her with her hands on her hips. 

Reika tsked and muttered, "I'm so used to having you yell back that I don't know what to say next. Other than that you're being extremely stupid right now. And I'm extremely disappointed in you. I'm sure Linna won't admit it, but I'll bet she is too." 

Sylia took a breath and said softly, "You're right. You always have been. My methods are stupid and insane and endanger everyone I love and care about. I act like I can solve the world's problems by myself even though time and time again it's been proven that I need help to do it. But that's the way I am, and always will be." 

"But that doesn't explain why you still have that boomer here." 

Sylia looked up at the screen, but her attention wasn't focused on the central image of Sylvie. Instead, her eyes were on the lone figure of Priss slouched in a chair next to the table, watching the boomer with a heartbreaking expression of loss and ache. 

Sylia looked at the woman beside her and said, "Reika, I know you don't care about Priss, but she's also one of my best friends. And she needs Sylvie right now, in a way I've never seen her need anyone. After three years of running away from it, she's finally dealing with the repercussions of having Galatea mentally, emotionally and physically rape her. And I'm certain she's having an identity crisis on top of that. She's struggling just to keep sane. Sylvie has provided an anchor for her that no one else could. I assure you, if it were not for Priss, I would have gladly scrapped Sylvie once and for all." 

Reika looked at the screen and then back at Sylia. She was still displeased even though her fury seemed to subside for the most part. "So why did you need to talk to me? It sounds like your mind is already made up on the matter. I've known from past experiences that that is one wall I'm not going to bother banging my head against anymore." 

Sylia then took a strengthening breath and finally said, "I managed to crack through some more of Sylvie's programming the other night and found something that might be a solution to the problem. Because of it, I have a plan that can help Linna once and for all. And if we're extremely fortunate, there's also a chance it can help Sylvie. But you're the only person who can carry it out... I guess this is my roundabout way of saying that I need your help, Reika. You can say no, and I'll never bring it up again. If you think the plan's insane, then you're right. I'll do whatever you say to help fix things. All I'm asking is this one last chance for you to trust me." 

Neither woman moved for a moment as they stared at each other, wondering what the other was thinking, and if the other person's thoughts were indeed in the present, or eight years in the past. 

Reika let out a sigh and leaned back against the console next to Sylia. "How can I turn you down after all that? Sometimes I do wonder if there's a part of me that's still wrapped around your little finger." 

Sylia giggled and nudged her with her elbow as she said, "Maybe it's the combat fatigues. You always did tell me this outfit was a fantasy of yours." 

Reika broke out into a laugh and remarked, "The thought did cross my mind. When you actually do butch, you do it extremely well. Too bad you never dressed up like this when we were together." 

"I'll make certain that Linna gets a similar outfit for Christmas." 

"Oh, stop it!" Reika retorted with a nudge of her own. "Going _there_ is not going make me want to help you, even if it is for Linna's benefit! - So, what's this plan of yours?" 

* * * * * 

Quincy waited with his security and laboratory staff for the Genom helicopter to descend from the sky and settle on the landing pad. 

Once the airplane finally shut down, the side door opened, and the towering figure of Kou Takeuchi emerged, dressed impeccably in his black suit. A sharply dressed Reika Chang emerged right behind him, with her gaze focused on the man who led their welcoming committee. 

Quincy bowed deeply and said, "Greetings, Ms. Chang. I am extremely pleased that you and your staff have chosen to return this piece of Genom property to me. I take it that my girls are inside?" 

"The pieces that we could recover," she answered coolly. "My men weren't too concerned about keeping things in organized piles." 

Quincy flashed her a warm smile and said, "The fact that you've gone through such effort for a matter is exceptional. And I am sorry for the inconvenience this entire matter has caused you, as well as to the damage on your property. Genom plans to make full restitution to you and your estate." 

"Don't bother. It will give my groundskeeper a challenge he's been wanting for a while," she answered. "Now, do we want to conduct our meeting outside or shall we move to a more secluded atmosphere?" 

He bowed and pointed in the direction of the entrance to the building. "This way please." 

* * * * * 

"Can I offer you something to drink?" he asked as he approached his bar. 

"A gin and tonic would be fine," the young woman answered as she sat down in the chair and took in the breathtaking view of Tokyo Bay and the Skyhook construction site. 

"And thank you for allowing your bodyguard to wait outside. I've found such discussions should be held only with the people who truly need to know," Quincy said as he poured drinks for both of them. "Now what do you wish to talk about?" 

"About Linna Yamazaki," she answered simply. 

"What about her?" he said, handing her her drink as he took his own seat. If Quincy was surprised, he hid it well. 

"Good that you know who she is," she commented with a slight smirk and a sip. "At the request of Detective Daley Wong, and because she's a good friend of my sister's, I've been harboring her at my estate ever since an attempt was made on her life at the hospital she had been staying at. We kept her whereabouts a secret because at the time we didn't know why she was spared from the Plaza Slaughter, or why someone would go through a special effort to kill her after the fact. Well, after today's events, and remembering the demonstration of Sylvie, I did a little bit of an educated guessing and came to the conclusion that perhaps the missing piece of the puzzle had been in front of me all this time." 

Quincy merely leaned back in his chair and arched his eyebrow curiously. "Are you saying that you think Sylvie was near your estate because she was there to finish killing Linna? That's quite a stretch." 

"But not impossible," she stated pointedly. "As head of the Hou Bang Clan, I've come here to discuss protection terms for her. What would it take for her life to be spared?" 

The man smirked and said, "Ah, your family trademark. Bartering for the safety on behalf of people who unfortunately got in over their heads. I do wonder what your Clan gets out of being a negotiator? A cut of their salary?" 

"That is a matter between us and our clients." Reika then frowned slightly and said, "I doubt Ms. Yamazaki did anything to deserve to be hunted down and be forced to live in hiding." 

"That may be true," Quincy answered with a shrug. "But I admit I am interested in your deal. However, the decision isn't entirely mine." 

Reika blinked in surprised at this news. "Who else needs to be consulted in this matter?" 

Quincy punched in a speed-dial code into his phone and said, "I think you'll recognize him once you see him. After all, he's your future husband's brother." 

* * * * * 

Obviously taking a break from an intense tennis match, Largo took a sip of iced tea and looked at the two people from the phone-screen on Quincy's wall. "Well, Reika, I must say it is a bit of a surprise that you're involved in this matter." 

"I'm involved because Ms. Yamazaki is a good friend of Irene's," Reika clarified. "And that's why I'm here to negotiate for her protection." 

"Ah, I see," the man mused. "Still, as you can imagine that this matter does require some delicacy, now that you have a good idea of what still requires discretion." 

"I promise Ms. Yamazaki will remain quiet about the Plaza Slaughter," she stated firmly. "She doesn't really know anything about this whole matter anyway, so the risks of exposure were extremely slim." 

Largo studied her for a moment and then nodded. "I am satisfied with that if you are guaranteeing her silence with the reputation of the Hou Bang Clan." 

"I am." 

"Very well then. This matter is of no more importance to me. Mr. Rosenkreuz, am I needed for anything else?" 

"Not at this time, Mr. Watanabe," he answered. "Thank you for your time and input on this matter." 

Once Quincy hung up the phone, he remarked, "It seems the choice is really left to me after all." 

Suddenly Quincy's cell phone rang in his pocket. "If you'll excuse me for one moment, Ms. Chang," he said as he pulled it out. "This is Quincy.... Are you certain about that?... I appreciate you telling me right away... Continue with your work. Goodbye." 

"Well?" Reika asked, once he hung up the phone a second time. 

Quincy looked occupied with his thoughts as he took a large sip of his scotch. He then stood and walked over to the window. 

"It seems my staff has noticed a significant item missing from your recent delivery," he noted. 

Reika felt herself tense as she realized what he was getting at. 

"I had originally thought I would not require anything in exchange for Ms. Yamazaki's life but it seems I do have a price after all." He then turned to her directly and stated, "Give me Sylvie and I will spare Ms. Yamazaki. Consider it a life for a life, if even that." 

Reika frowned and responded, "But I don't have Sylvie." 

Quincy shrugged. "This is no different to me being a shop owner and having a prized necklace in the window that you want. My price for the necklace is a thousand yen, yet you only have five hundred. It's up to you to figure out how to get the rest. And a woman of your connections and resources I'm certain would have far more success than others in _this_ particular matter." 

He finished his glass and said, "I'll even sweeten the deal. I'll work with my police connections and have the Plaza Slaughter case closed to everyone's satisfaction. After all, terrorists can be a rather busy lot, don't you think?... On the other hand, if you don't deliver Sylvie to me, then I will make certain those same police sources will find evidence connecting Ms. Yamazaki to the terrorists as an accomplice, which of course means her safety and her life are out of my hands from that point forward." 

"So let me summarize to make certain I understand all of the terms," Reika said, not bothering to hide her brimming anger. "You'll agree to give the order to stop Ms. Yamazaki's assassination as well as solve the Plaza Slaughter in a manner that satisfies the general public? And if I don't provide Sylvie, you will instead have evidence planted that will implicate Ms. Yamazaki in the recent terrorist activities, the Plaza Slaughter included?" 

"Precisely," the man said with a smooth grin. "I could have ordered the stop on any assassination attempts on Ms. Yamazaki without this condition, but I am a businessman after all, and when I see a chance for a deal where everyone wins, I do what comes naturally. After all, I'm only asking for what's mine." 

"You are right, Mr. Rosenkreuz. Sylvie is yours after all," Reika said as she put her barely touched drink on his desk. "Give me three days to see if my resources can track her down. I'll give you a call once, and if, I'm certain I can guarantee such a delivery." 

Quincy smiled and bowed. "I look forward to hearing from you, Ms. Chang." 

She bowed in return and said through an icy smile, "Have a good rest of your day, Mr. Rosenkreuz." 

-- End Chapter 58 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	60. 10/9 - Magic Words

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 59: Magic Words 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Priss didn't move at the sound of the elevator doors opening behind her. The soft clicking of heels on the tiled floor told her all that she needed to know. 

"Are you hungry or thirsty at all?" Sylia asked from behind her. "Henderson is preparing dinner and wants to know if he should prepare a special tray for you. Then again, given that you didn't even touch your lunch, I'm wondering if I should tell him not to bother." 

Priss glanced at the untouched meal tray that had been placed on the nearby table. "It seems like the least wasteful option at the moment," she answered. 

Suddenly a new sound in the background caught Priss's ears and attention. It was the unfamiliar noise of something being gently pushed across the floor on wheels. 

She turned and was greeted with the sight of Linna in a wheelchair, with Reika pushing her from behind. 

Linna was dressed in pajamas with metal and plastic bindings to support her frame, but at least she sat upright and looked alert. Her concern was clearly evident in her eyes as they came closer and she said, "Hi, Priss." 

Priss actually broke out into a soft smile and said, "Hey. It seems the wheelchair came in time." 

Linna managed a nod in her neck brace. "Given that Sylia invited us over for this special event, I was glad I could say yes. With Reika's help, of course." 

Reika kept quiet as she pushed Linna to the spot beside the singer. She was clearly not pleased for some reason but gave Linna a kind smile at the acknowledgement. 

Priss realized that there was a hint of an ulterior motive behind the three new arrivals so she looked at Sylia questioningly. "What's up?" 

"I'm hoping we have a final solution to this one maddening puzzle," Sylia answered as she pulled out a handheld recorder from her skirt pocket and gave it to Priss. 

Upon taking it, the singer arched an eyebrow at the device and remarked, "Sorry, singing requests are out of the question for a few days. My swollen mouth has final say on the matter." 

"You don't need to sing this time," Sylia said as she walked over to the nearby control panel and started to push some buttons. "I just need you to press 'play' when I give you the cue." 

Priss was naturally extremely curious but she knew the answer would come shortly. It was then that she noticed Nene sitting at the main control station up in the command booth. 

After a few more buttons were pressed, a hum came from Sylvie as electricity flooded into her. Even though she was still in the same tattered state from the battle earlier that day, it was clear that her motor responses were functioning again. Because of the patch of artificial skin that had been torn from the upper right side of her face, it was strange to see her eye start to swivel and look around. Almost immediately afterwards, her left eyelid started to flutter and mimic the responses of blinking as she tried to assess her current situation, including testing the strength of the bindings at her limbs and waist. 

Sylia pointed to Priss, who then pushed the 'play' button on the recorder. 

"Sylvie," an unfamiliar male voice said. 

The boomer suddenly froze at the sound, apparently focusing all attention on the voice, not noticing or caring that it came from the device in Priss's hand. 

"Sylvie," the recorder said again in the same voice, "I order you to stop Linna Yamazaki's assassination." 

Priss was pleasantly surprised by the words, and intrigued to see if they would work. To the singer's ear, it was clear that the words were spliced together from a probably unrelated conversation given the uneven inflection in the speaker's tone. 

This didn't seem to matter to the boomer because she answered, "Yes, Mr. Rosenkreuz. I will comply. The direct command has been terminated." 

The three other women in the room let out the breath they had apparently all been holding. 

Priss smiled and gave Sylia a deep look of gratitude. 

Now that she was back to full consciousness, Sylvie stopped struggling and looked around to study the visitors, her eyes finally resting on Linna. Instead of the cold, efficient killer that had been present the last time she was active, the boomer's cheeks actually reddened as she said with clear remorse, "Ms. Yamazaki, I am sorry for all of the trouble I caused you." 

Linna smiled back and said, "It's okay, Sylvie. I know you couldn't help it." 

"Thank you." 

"Sylia," Reika prompted with a meaningful look. 

The other woman nodded and pressed the buttons that would release Sylvie's bindings. 

"Why don't you two take a moment to collect yourselves?" she suggested to Priss and Sylvie. "There's an important matter we need to discuss up in the command booth. So come on up when you're done?" 

They nodded as the others turned to leave. 

Priss narrowed her eyes as she watched them get into the elevator, knowing that there was something they were hiding by the way they didn't speak to each other. She knew the answer would come in time too and what mattered more right now was the woman before her. 

"I'm so embarrassed to be seen like this," Sylvie said, gently touching the edges of her torn facial skin. She was grateful that her nose and mouth were still intact. 

Priss stood and leaned against the examination table. She smiled and remarked, "Well, I'd be a hypocrite if I made a crack about facial wounds. Besides, Sylia and the others will patch you up and you'll be as good as new." 

Sylvie gave her a shy smile and said, "Thank you for being so forgiving as well." 

Priss shrugged and remarked, "Well, if you ever pull a stunt like that again, be sure to take Sylia's Porsche instead, okay?" 

"I thought about it. I'm sorry your bike was destroyed. But I took it because it meant more to me since it was yours." 

Priss stared at her with wide eyes as red flushed across her cheeks. She cleared her throat and dropped her gaze to the floor. "Yeah, well, Nigel and Mackey are seeing what they can do to salvage it... We should go up and find out what the others want to talk about. Are you up to it?" 

"Should I put on something to cover my face?" Sylvie asked as she glanced up at the command booth in concern. No one was visible in the window, showing that they were collected deeper in the room. 

Priss smiled at this display of vanity and said, "It doesn't bother _me."_

Sylvie smiled and said, "Then let's go..." 

-- End Chapter 59 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	61. 10/9 - The Final Solution

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 60: The Final Solution 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

_"ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING WAY!"_ Priss yelled. 

Priss's fury and attention were directed entirely on Reika and Sylia, while Sylvie remained safely beside her. Nene and Linna also stayed out of the line of fire, next to the console. 

"This isn't like slave-trading!" the singer continued in her tirade. "Genom doesn't own her! She's a thinking, feeling being! I'd make the same argument if we were talking about comparing Linna to -- to -- to Leon!" 

Sylvie's eyes widened at the words as she watched Priss curiously. 

_"She's a being who's also a boomer!"_ Reika yelled back. "You can turn her off; you can turn her on. If her head pops off then you just replace it with a new one! Linna has only one shot at living! _And I'll be damned if her life is going to be compromised because of the existence of an artificial being!_ It's not as if Sylvie's is going to be executed when we hand her back to Genom. She'll still be alive!" 

Priss glared at the quiet Sylia and demanded, "But you'd wipe out all of her enhancements, wouldn't you? All of her experiences and memories of her time here?!" 

"I have to, Priss," she answered softly, obviously not happy with the situation herself. "She knows too much about all of us. We'd have to return her in as close to her original state as possible, and that includes stripping all of the technical enhancements we made." 

"Then there is no fucking way I'm going to let you do that to her! That's as good as killing her! She has a right to live too!" Priss stated adamantly. "I'll kill this Rosenkreuz myself if that's what it takes to end it." 

"Killing him isn't the solution," Reika stated firmly. "He's a very well protected and connected man. Even if you did manage to succeed, there'd be a chain of vengeance that would destroy everyone you ever cared about!" 

"And I couldn't support that, Priss," Linna said softly, "not if I'm part of the reason why you'd do that. I think I understand how you feel. But doing that makes you no better than him, in fact it would make you worse... Reika, since you have the entire conversation recorded, couldn't you take it to the police or the press and expose him once and for all?" 

She shook her head sadly in response. "It wouldn't work that way. He's got the city officials, including members on the police force, in his back pocket. It would be a death sentence to any reporter or honest cop who tried to come forward with the information, especially since other people besides him would be implicated. In all honesty, I believe handing Sylvie over is the quickest and easiest option." 

"Well, then couldn't you give him a dummy replacement or something?" Priss asked Sylia, her desperation now becoming evident. "It doesn't have to be Sylvie, does it?" 

Sylia looked at her with deep regret and said, "I'm sorry, Priss, but I don't have the time to be able to construct a replacement. It's not as if we have boomer bodies lying around, especially one with the sophistication of Sylvie. Nigel calculated that with all of our expertise, it would still take a year to recreate her. Half that if we had ready made parts and development equipment at our fingertips. I doubt Reika can buy us that much time. The time she can get us will be just enough to strip Sylvie down and upload her original data files. And that's providing we get started right away. Nigel and Mackey are heading over now as we speak." 

"But -" Priss was about to protest further when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She fell quiet once she realized it was Sylvie's. 

"Priss," Sylvie said softly, "Reika's right in that it's the only option that will settle this matter once and for all. Sylia has never led me to believe that my life was more valuable than Linna's, and I accept that. And as a sentient being, my choice in the matter is to agree to Mr. Rosenkreuz's condition. There are no other options that I can see or support." 

Priss looked as if all of her energy suddenly drained out of her once again. "But..." she said, before finally drifting into a frustrated silence. 

"Sylia, is there enough time for me to have an hour alone?" Sylvie asked. 

The woman gave her a sad nod. 

Sylvie then bowed to the others and said, "I thank you for everything you've done for me. And, Priss, the fact that you think I am a person after all makes this whole experience worth it to me. Now, if you would all please excuse me." 

She walked towards the elevator. 

Once she was gone, the silence in the crowded room was tense and unnerving; no one wanted to look at each other after what had just happened. 

"Damn it!" Priss muttered as she turned on her heels and charged for the elevator herself. 

* * * * * 

"Sylvie! Wait!" Priss yelled as she caught up with her in the hallway. 

The boomer had already paused when she heard the familiar footfalls behind her. She turned and watched Priss approach. 

"Yes?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head. 

All of the emotions swirling in the human woman stopped short of coming out as actual words as she opened her mouth and struggled to say something. She took a shaky breath and said, "I don't know what I'm going to do when you're gone. When you left this morning, that was when I realized how much I need you." 

"You do?" Sylvie responded softly, the sheer amazement and wonder evident in her voice. 

"And - And when you begged me to kill you, I couldn't - wouldn't, even if I wasn't locked up." 

"You heard that?" the boomer managed to sound even more amazed. "I was only able to relay that as a mental thought. My vocal processes doesn't allow for extraneous speech in direct command mode." 

"Oh..." Priss gulped as she tried to fight back the feeling of tears. "I - I don't what else I can say that doesn't sound selfish and - and... " 

Sylvie meanwhile was amazed at the sight of water starting to trickle down Priss's cheek. She reached out and caught some of the moisture on the tip of her finger. She commented softly, "The ability to cry was supposed to be in my next set of enhancements. I don't know if I should be grateful or sad that they were never done." 

Not able to look up at her, Priss wiped away at the moisture with her hand and said, "I'm so afraid I'm going to finally go crazy. You were the only thing that made me feel like I could beat this. I could stop myself from turning into some sort of rogue boomer." 

Sylvie frowned and said, "Priss, your battle isn't about becoming a boomer of any sort. I admit I don't know how deeply Galatea affected you, but I think her lingering essence clouds the fact that your own insecurities and fears have always been your worst enemy. You conquer her influence when you embrace everything that makes you Priss, including the real emotions you've been avoiding these past couple of years. 

"I know I never knew you back then, but I think that person is still there somewhere. And it's just a matter of you allowing her to come back. I believe you are strong enough that you would have realized it on your own. I only helped you along; you never really needed me in the end." 

The tears having stopped, Priss stared in wonder at Sylvie. Then, without another word, she reached up and pulled the other woman close for a kiss, which was returned with just as much fire. 

* * * * * 

The four women were deathly silent in the command booth as they watched the security camera's view of the kissing women. 

_"Oh, my God!"_ Linna finally commented in amazement. "Is she slipping her tongue?!" 

"It looks pretty mutual to me," added an equally amazed Reika. Admittedly, there was a part of her that felt a certain sense of relief that the kiss in question did not involve the woman in the wheelchair next to her. 

With her eyes practically out of their sockets, Nene felt like her jaw was in her lap. Then she felt the nudge of an elbow against her own. 

"Looks like you're the only one left," Sylia said with a wink and a giggle. "Maybe Mackey's the one who needs to be careful of some competition." 

Nene turned completely red as she immediately focused her attention back on the camera's view. 

Finally, the women on the screen stopped kissing and just stood, holding each other in a tight embrace. 

Nene just shook her head to herself and wondered what she was going to tell Leon. And then she decided this was one secret she was more than willing to keep. 

-- End Chapter 60 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	62. 10/9 - Square One

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 61: Square One 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Sylia leaned back in her chair and watched the datastream fly across her terminal. From her position in the command booth, she glanced down and watched Mackey maneuver the scanner over the boomer's form while Nene watched the readings on the nearby monitor station. 

Per Sylia's instructions, Reika would hold off contacting Quincy until the very end of the three days, hopefully allowing the addition of a couple more days for "delivery" time, which would be sorely needed. So for the time being, Quincy still thought Reika and her sources were "looking", and for the moment that was good enough. 

The sound of the elevator door opening as well as the pleasant aroma of much needed coffee piqued her senses. 

"Thank you, Hen--" she said but stopped when she turned around and saw Nigel carrying a tray instead. "Well, hello." 

He smiled and handed her a cup of coffee while taking a sip from his own. "Henderson is dealing with cleaning out Sylvie's room, not that she left any mess to begin with. But he's a little depressed by the whole thing." 

"Aren't we all?" she mused as she returned her attention to the view below. "It's just a cold reminder that with all of the money I have at my fingertips, the one thing I can never buy is time." 

"Well, getting a complete download as she is now is a start," he said, referring to the screen of blurred text. 

Sylia sighed and said, "You know as well as I do that even with the data-file snapshot, it's still a long shot to making a perfect recreation of her. All of the nuances that made her personality were embedded in her core and the cell-matter that formed the base of it." 

Nigel frowned as he mulled over the puzzle as well, his eyes never leave the activity in the pit below. "Is it part of the deal that we have to return her to Genom intact? After all, they don't know how the battle actually ended because of the blackout." 

Seeing where he was leading, Sylia suddenly sat up, her mind starting to buzz with an idea. "That is true. And it _is_ our M.O. to crush cores, isn't it? And we'd have to keep her core in a stasis chamber until we can create a body to house her. But it's not a guarantee since so many things can still go wrong." 

"But it is a chance," he pointed out with a quirk of a smile. "And I've never known Sylia Stingray to pass up on a chance. We don't have the time and resources to create a dummy boomer, but we do to create a small stasis chamber." 

The woman continued to mull over the options, her mental wheels clearly spinning faster as her enthusiasm level increased. "We'd have to keep it confidential though, especially from Priss. I'd hate to give everyone hope and then disappoint them, either because she didn't survive the transfer, or because she didn't turn out to be exactly Sylvie in the end. At least we can deal with the last option by giving her a completely different exterior design if we have to and just accept that she's a different person." 

"I'm sure you'll come up with the best option, one that'll make it work," he said as he stood behind her chair and gently hugged her shoulders. "I have faith in you." 

* * * * * 

Sylvie looked around, confused by the realizations that she was in the Pit and that she was still sentient. She turned her head to see Sylia standing over her. 

"Yes, Sylia?" the boomer asked, not sure of what else to say given that she had resigned any hope of every being truly conscious again. 

The woman smiled down at her and said, "I have one final chance that I'd like to offer you before we continue with the downgrade process." 

The boomer tilted her head curiously, intrigued by that opening. 

"Nigel and I think there may be a chance to recreate you but it's not a fool-proof method. At the very least, your core would have to be put in a stasis chamber until we can create another boomer shell for you. As you've heard before, this could take a year at the most, six months at the least. There's also a strong chance your core will not survive being in stasis that long, or even the transfer process itself. Another risk is that when you are finally embedded in a new body, you may not be the Sylvie you know yourself to be, even though we'll try our best to download the snapshot of our data files as they are now. That would mean you'd become someone else." 

Sylvie was quiet as she absorbed those words, her eyes never leaving the woman's face as she spoke. Finally, she said, "It sounds like I have three possible scenarios: I could die later rather than now, I could become someone else, or the desired goal is that I could become me once more but at the earliest six months." 

"That's why I wanted to talk to you now before we did anything. This choice is yours, as it always has been. And like before, I don't want to force the hardships of living on you without your consent. Especially for a process that even I don't feel extremely confident will work and that may cause you to suffer unnecessarily painful repercussions." 

Sylvie smiled softly and said, "Yes, you did warn me the first time that there are bad things to living, however, you also told me there would be the good things. And since I've experienced both, I would like to take this chance, no matter how slim the odds may be. But this time I do have one request if it is at all possible." 

"Yes?" Sylia answered, her own curiosity now piqued. 

"If I'm to be in a stasis chamber, I would like to see if there is some way I can still be aware of the world as time goes on. A year is a long time to be away from the people you care about, and so much can happen to them during then. I would still feel as if I was a part of their lives by being an observer if I can't actually participate." 

Sylia nodded and said, "I'll see what we can do." 

"And, Sylia, if we really never speak again with me as Sylvie, thank you for everything." 

Sylia smiled and squeezed her hand. "You're very welcome. You've taught me a lot as well. Now relax because I will have to turn you off again…" 

* * * * * 

"And so she's back?" Madigan asked over the phone as she called from her sister's home in Germany. 

"Yes, in pieces though. But of all four of them, she was the most salvageable. Dr. Yuri estimates they should be able to have her up and running in two months time and no one else will be the wiser," Quincy explained from his office as he watched the view on his terminal of Dr. Yuri and his team fussing over their new delivery. "Ms. Chang said she didn't know why they kept her, but I think it's pretty obvious they were planning to study her components in the hopes of getting as much technology information possible without her being fully functional. By her escape, she obviously proved too much for them to handle the first time around." 

"This ultimately means of course that Ms. Chang also knows who the Knight Sabers are. Should we keep an eye on her?" 

Quincy thought about that for a moment and then shook his head. "Direct surveillance on the head of the Hou Bang Clan is almost impossible, as you know from your own experience with the late Mr. Chang. And finding out such information that way almost feels like someone else filling out a crossword puzzle for you in that the sense of accomplishment is gone. No, I'd rather we figure out something when we're ready to deal with them once and for all. In the meantime, it's just good to know she's a source of information if we need to go that route." 

"Then what now?" 

He grinned at her and said, "Say hello Fred Jr. for me and enjoy the rest of your vacation, Madigan. Meanwhile, Iris and I are going to take the kids to Australia for our own getaway. Like I said, there will be plenty of work to do when we get back." 

Madigan smiled back at him and said, "A hello to Iris as well. And have a good trip yourself, sir." 

-- End Chapter 61 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	63. 10/9 - Past Perfect

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 62: Past Perfect 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Under the gentle heat of the afternoon sun, Leon felt his heart tighten as he drove the car up to the stretch of road that led to the perfect spot with a view of the city from the tall hill. He saw the lone figure standing in the extremely familiar stance of almost four years ago, when he had tried an unsuccessful attempt to pick her up by pointing out that he wasn't going to give her a ticket for speeding. 

Like then, Priss was dressed in her biker garb and leaning against her motorcycle. And also like then, her attention was focused on the view of the city, seemingly unaware of anything else even though the man had slowly learned that that was rarely the case. 

Leon pulled up the car to the curb and got out, anxious to have this conversation and yet dreading it as well. It was hard to believe that it had been only a week since their last talk, which was the fight on the beach. 

When he had finally gotten the call that morning that she wanted to meet, he tried grilling Nene for any details to prepare himself. Surprisingly, his coworker and friend actually seemed leery of providing any additional information other than to hint rather bluntly that he needed to hear things from Priss herself. 

As he came near, he saw her head tilt as his footfalls apparently caught her hearing. 

"Hey, is that a new bike?" he asked in the lightest tone possible. 

"A loaner from Nigel's shop. He and Mackey are working on my regular one." 

"Ah. So what happened?" he prompted as he leaned against it from the back. 

"It took a tumble when I tried hunting down a boomer," she answered simply. Showing that things were indeed different between then and now, she actually turned to him. She gave him a sad look and a simple "Hi." 

"Hi," he answered back, trying not to be too focused on the bruise that still swelled her cheek and corner of her mouth. At least he had gotten a preliminary glimpse of it in their phone call, when she said it was a 'training wound.' "So how are you doing?" 

"Better. And you?" 

"Nuts from missing you like crazy," he admitted softly. "Praying that this won't be the last time we really talk. And if it is... well, hoping that just once you'll be completely honest with me, and don't edit even if you think I'll misunderstand or not get the point at all." 

Priss studied him for a moment and then turned her attention back to the view before them. "Would you believe me if I told you that I thought you were kind of cute when you tried to give me that cornball line about not giving me a ticket for speeding? Your charm was definitely goofy, but I admit there something endearing and honest about your effort." 

Leon blinked in surprise and said, "Well, then why did you let me think you weren't interested?" 

"Because that part was also true," she answered simply. "At the time, I was seriously interested in someone else, and was just waiting for the slightest sign that it was mutual and okay to act upon it. I had been brushed off by that person when you came by that day, and I guess the attention was what I needed at the time to salve my bruised ego and heart. And so, I thought 'If I can't have what I really want right now, a little fantasy material wouldn't hurt to tie things over until the situation changed.' 

"But since it wasn't really serious for me, I didn't want to give you hopes that it could lead anywhere real. In the meantime, I enjoyed your attention and your company since you seemed to be okay at the best, and amusing at the worst. At the very least, I thought that maybe we could be friends since I was starting to realize that friends were a good thing to have in your life after all. 

"However, even if there wasn't someone else, I still wouldn't have pursued anything real with you. Being attracted to someone isn't the same as wanting the same things, or having the same life vision. I knew back then that you were probably the kind of guy who saw a future with a stable routine, a nice home and children. At the time, my future consisted of singing, riding my bike and kicking boomer ass. I didn't want to start something that I knew would have resulted in a no-win situation for both of us. And I honestly didn't want to hurt you, which would have been inevitable." 

Leon swallowed against the knot building in his throat as he said, "Well, four years later it seems that you were right after all about the kind of guy that I am. Does that also mean that your vision of your own future changed to allow you to take a chance on us, and now it's changed back?" 

Priss was quiet for a moment and then said, "I don't think I have to tell you that a lot of things were happening at that time, Leon. When you and I went out on the beach that night and talked, I was struggling with the fear of losing these women who had become so important to me despite all of my guards against having someone get too close. Then there was the issue about the hardsuits being boomers... And of course, Galatea had just emerged and all hell was breaking loose. My defined and completed controlled life suddenly felt as if it had been dumped into a blender turned on maximum speed. 

"Part of me wanted to quit at that time just to cut my losses and run, to have everything end on _my _terms, not anyone else's. But I stayed even though I saw the writing on the wall that it was probably the end of not just my life, but Tokyo and probably the world. It was just a matter of waiting for the countdown to happen, and it felt like it would come sooner rather than later. 

"And just when I think things can't get any worse, I finally found out that the one I wanted was in love with someone else, and always had been. So everything I had to look forward to and fought for was gone: my home, my band... and my heart. 

"But through it all, you were there, always letting me know that you wanted a chance. And the issue about conflicting futures didn't matter anymore since the world was going to end at any moment. So with nothing holding me back, and nothing to look forward to, I thought 'why not?' And perhaps a part of me rationalized it with believing you weren't that serious about it either. When we went up in the skyhook, I honestly thought I'd never see you again, and that would be it for us. 

"Meanwhile, I still had my identity as a Knight Saber to keep me grounded. From the start I believed it was a lost cause, but I was going to damn well die fighting. Hell, I went charging off to face Galatea in space without even thinking about how the heck I was going to get back until I got there. A lot of things happened up there that I never told you about. But the fact was that I seriously thought many times that I was going to die, even to the point of giving up a couple of times and just waiting for the end to finally happen. I stopped being able to tell what was real and what was a nightmare. 

"So imagine my surprise when I wake up in the hospital from sun-exposure and dehydration to find out that the world was going to be fine after all. And there you were to take care of me. I decided at the time that that was a good thing after all. But I also knew that it was a matter of time until I'd have to face the music and decide whether or not the choices I made during the revolution were really the choices I would have made if life hadn't been as crazy as it was. 

"I knew that staying in Tokyo would mean that it was time to face reality. Even before the white noise problem became the overwhelming issue, I wanted to go off on the world tour almost right away since I knew you would come with me. I guess it was a test, to see if we could make it as a couple, and to see if you really loved me." 

Leon heard a possibility and went for it with as much gusto as he could muster. "Well, then I'll quit my job. We can go back to London and continue the tour!" Leon said, "We -" 

She shook her head regretfully. "Leon, no, we can't. It's like a dream. Learning the truth is just like waking up in that you can't go back. And I'm sorry if it sounds like I was using you. I didn't want to admit it at the time that's what it was, but I can't pretend any longer. It's the only way I can start being fair to both of us again." 

"You came back because Linna was in trouble," Leon pointed out. He was fighting the nauseous feeling rising within him, as if someone had given him a hardsuit punch in the stomach. 

"I told you that I realized I wasn't such a loner anymore." 

"Well, if that part of you did change, then what about your vision of the future? Maybe it really changed too?" 

Priss sighed and said, "The thing is, Leon, I've got a hell of a lot of issues to work through, and I need to do it alone. It was pointed out to me recently that I had been avoiding a lot of tough questions about myself, which I could avoid as long as I stayed away from Tokyo. I've been basically functioning on emotional autopilot for the past three years, not just with you but with life in general. Deep down though, there's always been a part of me still fighting to be heard, and I have to start listening again. It's time to figure out who I really am after all of this. The only thing I know for certain is that the Priss I've been for the past three years is not the Priss that feels real." 

Leon frowned and said, "So, when you accepted my proposal, did you know even then that we weren't going to get married in the end?" 

"I accepted because it was the best I could ever give you. Would you have wanted me to act any differently?" 

The man thought it over and then admitted painfully, "No, I guess not. If what you're telling me is that we should never have gotten together to begin with, then three years of a dream world was better than nothing… So are you going to stay in Tokyo?" 

Priss nodded. "One thing I remembered about myself recently is that I am a fighter, and that I don't back down from a challenge." 

"Then, is there any chance we really could be friends after all?" 

Priss looked at him and said with a gentle smile, "Maybe some day. Definitely not right now. I don't want to give you the idea that being around me is going to help change my mind about us." 

"Oh," he answered, the red on his cheeks showing that that was exactly what he had thought. 

She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the engagement ring. "I believe this belongs to you. Give it to someone who really is expecting to add a wedding ring to it." 

Leon couldn't think of anything to say as he held out his hand and watched her place the ring in his outstretched palm. 

"Thank you for everything," she said as she gave him a final kiss on the cheek. "And I am truly sorry. You're a great guy, Leon. You're perfect for someone who just isn't me." 

Swallowing against the lump in his throat, he closed his fist around it and shoved it into his pocket. He then cleared his throat and said, "What about the rest of your stuff? Should I send it to Sylia's?" 

Priss picked up the motorcycle helmet and said, "I'm going to be staying at Linna's apartment while she's still recovering at the Chang's. You can send everything there for now… And before you ask, I do plan to move out when she's ready to come home." 

Stepping back to give her room, Leon's face turned red again as he watched climb her on the motorcycle. Once the woman disappeared around the curve in the road, he looked again at the ring clenched in his fingers. 

With a deep sigh, he slipped the ring into his shirt pocket and then focused on the view before him. 

-- End Chapter 62 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	64. 10/9 - With A Bang

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 63: With A Bang 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

Daley crouched down on his knees and spied the tiny black disk under his desk. He motioned to Nene to hand him their equipment for the task, which she did with her hand over her mouth to suppress a giggle. The man aimed the opening of the whistle at the bugging device and blew with a full lung of air. 

He and Nene then collapsed on the floor in laughter just as Leon walked in with a wince and his fingers pressed into his ears. 

"Just what the hell are you two doing? I almost thought it was a new alarm system they installed!" 

"And a good Monday morning to you too, Detective McNichol. We're only saying a proper farewell to our unwanted guests," Daley said as he plucked out the device and tossed it onto the desktop with the ten others they had found. He then slammed a hammer onto them, satisfied with amount of plastic pieces they broke into. 

"There were _that_ many?" Leon said as he took off his jacket and tossed it on the coat stand. "How many were in your apartment?" 

"Don't know yet. We'll get rid of them tonight," Daley answered with a smug look. "A Mr. Akamatsu finally came home from Los Angeles Saturday and we had a noisy celebration of his return, as well as of the end of the lack of any privacy for the weeks before his departure. Chances are that whoever was on surveillance duty for us that weekend didn't enjoy their shift too much." 

Leon's face turned red as he muttered, "Geez, is that why you helped me move out Friday?" 

"A man's got to have his priorities, you know. And with the official closing of this case, I quickly realized that there are certain things I didn't have to put up with anymore." 

"So have you and Nene here been basking in the glory of solving the Plaza Slaughter this morning?" Leon remarked. 

His coworkers grimaced, showing that the merriment was one-dimensional after all. 

"Don't even touch that one," Daley muttered. "It just sickens me that when they pulled the big 'raid' of the so-called terrorist headquarters that everyone was killed, if they weren't already dead before our officers got there. Those poor guys were just there to feed a hungry public and it worked." 

"Still, if you had followed the real path, Yuuji'd be a widower. After all, we had no idea there was a Yakuza connection to all of this." 

Daley winced and said, "Don't remind me. The fear works both ways when you're married to an investigative reporter." 

"So, Leonardo, how's the new bachelor pad?" Nene asked as she packed up the bugging device scanner she had borrowed from Sylia. "Heard you've got a great view of the bay." 

"Yep. I'm going to have a housewarming party this weekend. You two are invited of course." 

Daley smirked and said, "You should also invite Aya in Records. She perked up quite a bit when she heard you were back. And she just about jumped up and down when she found out you were single again." 

"Ah, I don't want to rush things," Leon said with a wave of his hands. "It's only been a couple of days. And this one's going to take a while to get out of my system, if she ever does... So, um, Nene, have you seen her?" 

She shook her head as she bit into her donut. "Nope. All I know is that she's settled into Linna's place and that her band finally arrived. So we just assumed that she's been hanging out with them, especially since they've got show dates at Hot Legs next month… Um, did you want to go with us?" 

Leon opened his mouth to answer but then paused. "Let's wait and see when the concert comes closer. Okay?" 

"Okay," she said with an understanding smile. 

Suddenly, their attention was snagged by the sound of loud banging and some heavy things crashing in the hallway. 

_"God Damn IT!"_ an angry female voice bellowed clearly through the open doorway of their office. _"Piece of a crap that should've been flushed down the toilet a long time ago!"_

Leon immediately groaned, Daley smirked and Nene just looked at them in bewilderment. 

"Come on, Cowboy. It's only proper to go out and greet the new neighbor," Daley said with a wink as he got up. 

Even though Leon lagged behind, the three of them got up and rushed to see what had just happened. 

In the hallway was a woman in a female officer's uniform struggling with a slightly tilted motorized dolly that had its front wheels wedged into the wall of her office. From a brief glance, it was easy to tell that the dolly had been stacked with ten cardboard boxes worth of items, half of which were now spilled on the floor. 

The officer in question was on her knees as she started to gather her spilled contents, but it was clear to see that she was a solid, athletic woman with short red hair. She seemed to be in her late twenties and would have been pretty if her features hadn't been contorted with the grim frustration that was currently occupying her thoughts. 

"Hey, Malso," Daley called out, "would you like some help?" 

She paused at his voice and looked up at the three of them. It was obvious that she lingered the most on Leon, which caused a deeper frown, before she turned her attention back to Daley. 

"Dunno how much help you could be, Wong. The girl looks like she could lift more than you can." Even though there was a certain gruffness in her response, it was clear that a genuine tease was underneath her words. 

Daley merely grinned back and replied, "Well, it was _her _help that I was offering. I never said _I_ was going to lift a finger. Sergeant Jeena Malso, let me introduce you to Assistant Detective Nene Romanova." 

Nene saluted, recognizing the fact that this was the new commander of the NTC Combat unit. "Please to meet you, ma'am!" 

Jeena stood and saluted back. "Likewise. So you're the whiz kid I've been hearing about!" 

Nene immediately frowned and snarled, "You don't look old enough to call me 'kid'!" 

The other woman chuckled. "I'm only repeating the nickname I've heard. And your spunk is part of the legend, too. Don't call me 'ma'am' and I won't call you 'kid'. Jeena works fine for me." 

"Then you can use 'Nene'," she grinned as they shook hands. 

"And I'm certain you remember Detective Leon McNichol," Daley said with an undisguised grin. 

"Malso," Leon greeted the woman with a tense twitch of his cheek. The redness in his face betrayed more discomfort but his voice was level. 

"McNichol," she answered coolly. "So are you going to help or not?" 

With a grunt of reluctant compliance, Leon dropped down on his knees to start collecting the spilled contents of the box nearest to him. He paused when he realized it was a container of personal knick-knacks. He held up a cracked picture frame and looked at the picture of a young, redheaded boy posing with his baseball cap and bat. 

He was clearly stunned at the photo and blurted, "Hey, I didn't know you have a kid!" 

She reddened and snatched the picture from him. "Of course not! I just like putting pictures of other people's children on my desk! _For crying out loud, Cowboy!_ If you're going to snoop, then don't bother helping!" 

_"How the hell could I be snooping if I saw something that you would have had out for everyone else to see?!"_ he retorted as he followed her into the office. 

"Do they hate each other?" a concerned Nene whispered as she and Daley stayed and cleaned up more of the items from the spill. 

Daley just grinned and said, "You know, I think they probably believe they do." 

-- End Chapter 63 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	65. 10/9 - One Mind, One Heart

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Part 5: Blood Trails 

Chapter 64: One Mind, One Heart 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

With her helmet in one hand and guitar case slung over her back, Priss stepped into the Silky Doll and looked around. It was Sunday and the shop was closed as was its normal schedule, but she browsed around the shop instead of walking through it. Then she came across the pink dress hanging on the rack and held it up with a wistful look. 

"For _you,_ I'm willing to sell it at cost," Sylia commented from behind with a giggle. 

Priss blushed and frowned, immediately putting the dress back. "Isn't it a little unfashionable to keep a dress that hasn't sold in the four years?" 

"For most of the shop inventory, yes. But I don't allow other customers to buy that particular dress since it has a certain personal value to me." 

Priss narrowed her eyes at her and then muttered, "Let's get on with it. My time's precious too, you know." 

Sylia didn't bother hiding her smirk as she led Priss down to the secret elevator. 

"So what are these enhancements you've made to the hardsuits?" Priss asked as she watched the floors whiz by. 

"Well, we've only upgraded yours for the time being as a beta test. Increased reflex reactions as well as some automatic defense systems to protect your blind spots in battle." 

"Sounds intriguing..." Priss mused, ever aware of the fact that she hadn't been in a hardsuit since that fateful day two weeks ago, when everything felt like it came crashing down. "So are there any safeguards against me potentially freezing again?" 

"There just might be," Sylia said with an evasive tone. 

Since the original remark was said almost as a joke, Priss narrowed her eyes again as the other woman didn't elaborate. 

"It looks the same except that it's obviously the pre-formed version," Priss commented upon seeing her hardsuit ready and waiting for her in the middle of the pit area. 

She noted that the hardsuit equipment had been fixed, and that the extra equipment that had been used for Sylvie had been pushed off to the side to be out of the way. 

"All of the enhancements affect functionality. As far as actual visual design, I've decided sleek works best." 

"So we're stuck with the clear abdomens permanently?" Priss commented with a frown. 

"Well, you _will_ be having your picture taken a lot more," Sylia said with a grin. "I'll be up in the command booth when you're ready. No one else is around so take your time." 

* * * * * 

Now naked and ready to proceed with the test, Priss closed the locker door and already felt her heartbeat start to increase rapidly. She frowned and sighed, knowing it was just the first step to be conquered. 

With slow forceful steps, Priss walked out to the Pit area and approached the hardsuit waiting for her. She pressed her fingers firmly against her chest as she felt herself start to tremble along with her beating heart. 

Instead of readying herself to climb in, Priss knelt and placed her hand on the helmet and said softly, "This has been a pretty pathetic comeback as a Knight Saber and I realize it's mostly my fault. Even though you aren't the exact one from back then, you're still my hardsuit, and you're still going to be there for me no matter what. It's up to me to live up to my end of the bargain. So please just be patient, old friend." 

Priss then took a fortifying breath and stood, ever aware of the frenzied rhythm of her heart. It was by sheer willpower that she forced herself to climb into the suit, focusing all of her concentration on completing this task that had felt so easy and comfortable in the past. 

Once she was enclosed inside the suit, she felt herself once more trembling uncontrollably from the beating of her heart and the frenzy of mental and emotional turmoil churning within. Instead of fighting it this time, she let the emotions, memories and thoughts come, knowing that this battle could only be won by going in head first. 

* * * * * 

Watching Priss finally envelop herself in her hardsuit, Sylia sat in the command booth and studied the read-outs on the monitors. Priss's bio measurements were the most chaotic she'd ever seen for anyone. A part of her worried that she should call off this test if it seemed like Priss was showing symptoms of a heart attack mixed in with all of these data readings. 

Since waiting was never Sylia's strong point if she had other options, she then tapped into her keyboard and opened up a chat session on the screen. She spoke into the microphone, which then turned her speech into visible words on the monitor: "Are you getting any further information beyond what's being show on the monitors?" 

There was a pause and then the words came back: 'She's flooded with feelings of fear, anger, guilt, betrayal, hopelessness and insecurity. Some of these seem to have specific instances related to them, and others seem to be a by-product of general experiences.' 

"But no essence of Galatea?" 

'There is nothing that I sense that would indicate that Galatea is harboring herself as a hidden entity in Priss's mind. However, some flashes and thoughts are showing identity confusion within Priss herself. She is feeling conflicted over whether she should protect boomers or destroy them, which accounts for a good portion of her feelings of anger and betrayal. I'm sorry, Sylia, but if I tell you more details, I feel it would be truly violating Priss's privacy.' 

Sylia frowned and then relented with a smile. "Understood. Just let me know if you think she's going into such a dangerous area that we need to stop this." 

'Of course. I can tell you right now though, it does seem that she is making progress with sorting herself out right now. It may just be a matter of time and -- .' The sentence abruptly stopped, and nothing changed on the screen for a few seconds. 

The woman sat up in alarm and demanded, "What is it?" She couldn't see anything different in the readings on the monitors or by a glance at Priss down in the Pit below. 

There was a pause and then the chat feed continued: 'I'm sorry for that. Apparently, her feelings about me had just surfaced.' 

Before she could respond, a beeping sound came from inside Sylia's skirt pocket and she pulled out her phone. "Hello?" 

"It's me!" a frantic Detective Daley Wong greeted from the tiny screen. "We've got some trouble downtown with some bank robbers who have hostages. Word has it that they've got a couple of enhanced pre-Revolution boomers in there with them to help break into the safe. Our combat unit is at a standoff with them because of the innocent people inside. I don't know if this is something you think your team can help with." 

Sylia glanced at the motionless Priss in her hardsuit before responding, "I need to ask Priss first. If she passes, I'll go. Is Nene with you?" 

"She's already heading over." 

"I'll give you a status report when she gets here. Bye." 

* * * * * 

Priss watched the lights of the launch tube flicker in their countdown. Her heart was racing, but this time a strong sense of enthusiasm and confidence flooded through her in a way that had been missing for quite a while. The other emotions and thoughts were still there, but they didn't seem as strong or as loud as they had been just a few minutes ago. There was a light at the end of the tunnel after all. 

She smiled to herself and murmured, "Okay, old friend, let's rock 'n roll!" 

As if in response, the countdown ended and the Knight Saber was launched into the bright Tokyo sky. 

* * * * * 

Sylia sat back in the command chair as she watched the screen that tracked Priss and Nene as blips across a digital map of Tokyo. Their stealth mode kept them from being viewable so the casual (or not so casual) observer wouldn't be able to see where they came from, but also helped with the element of surprise. She looked at the bio readings from the suits and smiled. 

She then tapped into her keyboard and opened up a chat session on the screen. She spoke into the microphone, which then turned her speech into visible words on the monitor: "Priss's readings are excellent. Do you concur?" 

There was a pause and then words appeared in response, 'All signs are optimal. This mission should be a success.' 

"Let's wait and see what happens before jumping to conclusions," Sylia answered back. "Just remember your end of the bargain is to look out for them when they need it, and even if they don't." 

'Of course. I do not plan to fail any of you. They will arrive on the roof in ten seconds. I must focus on their mission.' 

"Understood, Sylvie. I'll be monitoring from here if anything comes up." 

Sylia mused that her private lab housed all of her deepest secrets for the moment, this one being latest, and most likely not the last. 

With a sip of her tea, Sylia Stingray leaned back to enjoy the show. 

-- End Chapter 64 -- 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040 


	66. 10/9 - The Least That I Can Do

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species 

Epilogue: The Least That I Can Do 

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com) 

* * * * * 

A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing! 

* * * * * 

"This is wonderful!" Linna said as she gently tested how much range and flexibility she had in her left hand and arm. "Getting the neck brace off yesterday pales in comparison." 

Mrs. Takeuchi smiled as she started to walk out of the room with her hands full of the plastic and metal pieces of the braces. "Let me put these away first. Then I'll give you a good massage in both your arm and leg when I get back." 

Linna nodded and smiled as she focused on having control of her limbs again, at least on the side that was just recently freed of the bindings. Her right side was still firmly in a cast but every bit of freedom signaled a milestone in the return to normality. 

"Well, it looks like you'll be running a marathon in no time," a familiar female voice commented from behind. 

Her heart skipping a hopeful beat, Linna turned to see a casually dressed and gently smiling Reika leaning against the doorway. 

"You're back!" Linna greeted with a genuine look of joy. "How was the trip?" 

"Overly long but productive," she answered as she walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed next to the other woman. "Still, the London rain was nothing compared to Tokyo monsoon season." 

"And how are Irene and Sho?" 

"Settled quite well. Sho's actually speaking more fluent English than Irene, much to her dismay. But her competitiveness will close the gap shortly." 

Linna chuckled and remarked, "Boy, you two really are opposite ends of the spectrum, aren't you?" 

"Now, who says I'm not competitive?" Reika answered with a look of feigned seriousness. 

"Well, maybe I just haven't seen that side of you yet," Linna said. 

Reika didn't answer as she openly studied Linna's face. 

Suddenly extremely aware of how close they were, Linna focused her attention on flexing her fingers in the hopes that it would distract from the blush in her cheeks. 

Reika then cleared her throat and said, "Speaking of hidden sides, I had an interesting phone call from Sylia when I was in London. She told me that you called your supervisor to discuss when you should go back to work." 

Linna shrugged and said, "Obviously I can't return for a couple more months but I figured I should get a start on living my own life again. It's not as if I'm here permanently after all." 

"Well, she also mentioned that you really don't like being an O.L. to begin with and that you don't seem enthused about going back." 

She nodded sadly. "Who wants to spend their days serving tea and doing boring computer work? I can't be a Knight Saber all the time, even if the team is more active because of our increased scope. And I still have bills and rent to pay." 

Reika then looked out the window and leaned back as she said, "Now that my curiosity is piqued, I have a extremely nosy question to ask you." 

Having no idea where this conversation was going, a puzzled and intrigued Linna responded, "Fire away." 

"Why haven't you thought about going into computers, such as in the area of programming or support?" 

Linna blinked at what she considered to be a question from left field. "I don't know. I guess I always just considered all computer work to be the same. And I wasn't interested in the training and education programs required to take on a career like that. It's still time spent in front of the terminal doing something that really didn't interest me." 

"Perhaps because you just never had a decent challenge in a job task before?" Realizing that Linna was still not getting the gist of why this was even coming up, Reika explained, "I'm asking because you met Nene by hacking into the ADP server, which was something originally set up by no less than Genom personnel. It takes some natural talent and ingenuity to accomplish something like that, especially with no formal training." 

"It does?" Linna responded, clearly not convinced. "When I hear the word 'programming', I think of all of the wild things Nene and Sylia do. I know I can't do anything anywhere near as sophisticated." 

Reika actually chuckled and said, "Well, I guess if you're surrounded by two people who have a natural genius for such things, you may lose sight of the fact that your average Jane Doe on the street couldn't do what you've personally done." 

Linna's expression started to change as it was clear that she was starting to see what the other woman was getting at. Then she gave her a joking frown and said, "So are you just bringing this up to make me feel even more unenthused about going back to being an O.L.?" 

The other woman laughed outright at that point. 

"No," Reika said, clearly enjoying the easy flow of the conversation. "I'm asking if you would consider quitting as an O.L. and come work for Chang Enterprises as an entry-level programmer, with a guarantee of on-the-job training and challenging assignments. After all, my family's legitimate business specializes in security, and that does include a lot of internet support for our clients. White-hat hackers with potential like yourself are invaluable. 

"Our office building is just four blocks away from Hugh-Geit. There's no tea-serving involved to anyone but yourself, nor required uniforms, even though I thought you looked kind of cute in that O.L. outfit. And if you're worried about nepotism, well, I'll pretend I don't remember your first name if we ever run into each other in the hallway. If you still think that's too close for comfort, there are some subsidiaries we own in the city where I'm sure I can pull a string or two." 

Linna was clearly stunned as the words started to sunk in. 

Reika glanced sideways at her and said, "I'm just saying think about it. After all, you mentioned you don't have to report to Hugh-Geit for another couple of months, so I would hope you'd consider this option as well in the mean time." 

"Th-Thank you," she said softly, her amazement clearly overwhelming her. 

Reika then blushed and gave an evasive shrug. "Hey, I hate to see wasted talent, especially if I can get some benefit out of it. For the family business, of course." 

"No, I really mean it, Reika," Linna said with a swallow of the lump forming in her throat. "Thank you for everything. On top of caring for me and this job offer, you've managed more than once to give me hope when I always think there isn't any. I just -- I just wish there was some way I could show how truly grateful I am, but I don't think there is one." 

The other woman opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped as she tried to blink away the tears starting to brim in her eyes. Looking down at her lap, she cleared her throat and said, "Linna, just don't lose the hope that you'll finally meet someone who's allowed to get the girl in the end, okay?" 

Reika then froze when she saw out of the corner of her eye the hesitant fingers approach her. She then closed her eyes and relish the gentle way they ran through her hair, carefully brushing it out of the way. 

"You do remember that I'm an engaged woman, right? To a man, of all things," she pointed out both softly and hopefully. 

Linna tenderly kissed her cheek and whispered, "I won't care for the next five minutes if you won't." 

Reika opened her eyes and turned but stopped just short of having their lips brush against each other. She quirked her mouth into a wry smile and said, "Only five?" 

Linna giggled and said, "Well, _I'm_ not going to be looking at my watch. And I'll be pissed if you do." 

Reika laughed in response. And with that, they both relented and closed the gap. 

Mrs. Takeuchi stood quietly at the doorway and watched them finally kiss. She smiled softly and stepped back out into the hallway, silently closing the door behind her. 

-- End Epilogue -- 

-- And thus ends "BGC Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species" -- 

Closing Author's Notes: 

Whew! Talk about your wild ride! It was hard work but it was fun, partly helped by your collective enthusiasm! 

So what's next (besides a break)? 

A closing commentary of what the original story of "Dominant" was supposed to be - which will be posted on the series' official web site of http://members.aol.com/bgcpost2040 

Also a couple of short stories are pending in preparation for the next big saga, which is currently titled "The Romanova Chase", the Post 2040 version of "Scoop Chase" with Nene trying to hide her double life from her equally nosy and intelligent mother. 

Sorry for you fanfiction.net readers, but I will not be posting future installments on this site. There isn't enough traffic to justify the work in double posting these pieces. 

Otherwise, thanks for your support! 

And special, special thanks to Greenegret, without whom this story would not have been started, much less completed. 

P. Kristen ;) 

For those of you interested in the more "behind the scenes" perspective with some spoilers and teasers as well as be on notification of updates, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGCPost2040. If you want to be notified of updates but don't want the behind the scenes gossip, sign up for the eGroup and select "Special Announcements" notification only. 


End file.
